[Cookie 079] Citrus Cornmeal Shortbread

Hellloooooooo world!! Risen from the grave, brought back to life, reincarnated into a zombie Cookie Monster, whatever you want to say, I'm really ready to get back in the swing of things (and apparently I don't have a choice, anonymous! You know who you are.). The wedding is over--isn't it weird when you're preparing so long for something so huge, and then it's over in a flash?--and it was amazing and beautiful and really really incredible (click the link for pictures, because those vague adjectives definitely don't do the whole event any justice!). The backyard looked amazing with it's overabundance of sunflowers and other potted blossoms, and the tables were set with centerpieces compiled of a potted sunflower, utensils tied together with twine, chalkboard table numbers, a bottle of cucumber-infused vodka for the wedding toasts, and a bottle of Sriracha! Why the Sriracha? Because......

...THERE WAS A TACO TRUCK IN MY VERY OWN DRIVEWAY! And it was the Kogi Taco Truck no less. I can't begin to describe the feeling that came over me when I witnessed it pull up. My dream come true.

Overall it was an incredible wedding, worth all the stressin' and wigging out that we all did...I think. The after-party was...good, I think. I don't remember a lot of it, so that's either a sign of a good party, or my own bad choices, or both. It was a good choice to drink that cucumber vodka, and I like whiskey too, but I think the Tequila can be labeled as the start of my own bad choices. Post-wedding hangover was a given, but totally worth it. The subsequent mortifying hazy memories that will plague my brain for months to come, maybe not.

But enough about my family's crazy antics (?). I made cookies for this big ol' event--no, no, I did not cater to the entire 120 guests! Just the visiting relatives who received little traveler's goody-bags complete with a bag of 6 Citrus Cornmeal Shortbread cookies.

Were they good? Well, I'll let my 6 year-old cousin (second cousin?) do the talkin': He said that these cookies were the best cookies he had ever had...in his entire LIFE! And that he, not his mom, wanted the recipe. He wanted it. Excellent. Commence baker's-brainwashing!

They were really delicious, it's true. Subtle, with a nice cornmeal texture, and a hint of citrus sweetness. For the first batch, I used lemon zest instead of orange zest, and it definitely wasn't as good as the orange zest ones, which had a much more citrusy flavor. Plus, the orange flecks stand out more than the lemon-yellow ones. Other than that, the recipe is fun to make, and you can keep the dough in the freezer for a while so you can bake them whenever you want. Also, the cookies themselves hold for up to a week, so they're perfect for wrapping up and giving to other people, if that's your thing. Not really my thing, but when called upon I might engage in an act of kindness.

So, in conclusion, make these cookies, and I'll post more often. Deal? Great.

Citrus Cornmeal Shortbread

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

1. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and zest. Mix until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, 2 tablespoons cornmeal, and salt; mix until well combined, about 3 minutes. Halve dough; shape each into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place remaining 1/4 cup cornmeal on a sheet of parchment paper. Roll in cornmeal to coat. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and space them 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until pale golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on sheet on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

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{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 2/5
Ingredient Accessibility: 3.5/5 (just the almond flour and proper jam!)
Tastiness: 4/5
Attractiveness: 4/5
Is it worth it?: Yep!

{Pairings}
Drink: A shot of that delicious cucumber vodka--try it!

Song: Surprise! Opinions?
Activity: It's marryin' season, right? Right?? Yeah!