When I baked this cookie I knew I wanted to do a post about it. It was that good. It was my birthday weekend and I was not going to bake a cake but this cookie recipe looked too good not to try,
After a delicious birthday dinner at Quattros in Guilford, we came home and had, get ready for this one... Klondike Ice Cream Bars with a Chocolate-Orange Bar with Shortbread Crust.
My birthday was on a Saturday but I made the Chocolate-Orange Bars with Shortbread Crust on Friday night. I love this recipe. It is from Cooking with Momma C. It was so easy to make and the flavors of chocolate and orange were meant to be together. This may be my go-to birthday treat.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
1 tablespoon orange zest (you will need two oranges for this recipe)
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup salted butter (8 tablespoons)
¼ cup powdered sugar
Chocolate Layer
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (can use milk chocolate chips for a sweeter taste)
Orange Filling
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 eggs¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
Garnish
powdered sugar
Method-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Rinse two oranges and pat them dry.
Zest the oranges until you have 2 tablespoons of zest, and set it aside. (You will need half of the zest for the crust and the other half for the orange topping.)
For the crust, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt to combine.
Cut up the stick of butter and add it to the bowl.
Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in the powdered sugar and one tablespoon of orange zest.
Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8x8 pan.
Bake the crust for 7 minutes.
While the crust is baking, prepare the orange topping in the same bowl you used for the crust.
Squeeze three tablespoons of orange juice and add it to the bowl.
Whisk in the eggs, sugar, one tablespoon of orange zest, flour and baking powder until blended.
When the crust has baked for seven minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pour the chocolate chips on top in an even layer.
If the chips aren't melting enough, put the pan back in the oven for two minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula to spread the melted chips into an even layer of chocolate.
Pour the orange mixture over the chocolate layer.
Wearing oven mitts, place the hot pan back in the oven to bake for 35 minutes, or until the top layer is lightly browned and set. (It should not be jiggly.)
Cool the pan on a wire rack.
When the dessert has cooled completely (a couple of hours is best) sprinkle with powdered sugar and sea salt, if desired.
Cut into 12 bars.
Store in a plastic container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to three months.