SPICED CRANBERRY-ORANGE ZINGERS

SPICED CRANBERRY-ORANGE ZINGERS image

Categories Citrus

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

For the cookies
3/4 cup picked-over fresh (or defrosted) cranberries, washed and patted dry
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (colored part of the skin only)
Scant 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (may substitute 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened yet still cool, cut into chunks
2 1/3 cups flour, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons defrosted orange juice concentrate
Coarse crystal sugar, turbinado sugar or granulated sugar, or about 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts or almonds for garnish (optional)
For the optional buttercream (to make cookie sandwiches)
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons defrosted orange juice concentrate, plus more as needed
1/8 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (no pith)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft but not melted

Steps:

Combine cranberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a food processor. Pulse until cranberries are fairly fine. Transfer to a large bowl. Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, orange zest, cardamom, baking powder and salt in processor. Process 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until zest is very fine. Add confectioners' sugar, butter and 1 1/3 cups flour. Pulse until butter is reduced to fine bits; the mixture should not yet be coming together. Drizzle orange juice concentrate over the mixture. Pulse until the juice is incorporated and the mixture just starts to come together. Transfer mixture to the bowl with the cranberries; stir until well blended. Sprinkle over remaining 1 cup of flour. Stir lightly, lifting the mixture from the bottom. Use your hands to knead in the remaining flour until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated/distributed. If dough seems too wet to shape, work in up to 4 more TBSPs of flour. Divide dough in half. Working on sheets of wax paper, shape each portion into a 10 1/2-inch log. Smooth so they are evenly thick and about 11 inches long. Roll each log in the paper, twisting the paper ends to keep it closed. (To hold round shape during chilling slide each log into a paper towel tube that has been slit lengthwise. Close the tubes with rubber bands; date and label them. Place in resealable plastic bags.) Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 3 days. Let refrigerated dough warm up until just barely soft enough to slice. Position rack in the middle of oven; preheat to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment. Use a sharp knife to cut each log crosswise into 30 slices of equal size. Space them about 2 1/2 inches apart. If desired, sprinkle tops with a little sugar. Bake one sheet at a time for 12-16 minutes or until almost firm when pressed. Transfer to rack and cool completely. Buttercream: Vigorously stir together the confectioners' sugar, orange concentrate, zest, and butter. 1 tsp per sandwich.