Orange Butter Biscuit Batons

Ingredients

• 160 g unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 85 g fine sugar
• finely grated zest of 1 large orange
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg yolk
• 210 g plain flour
• 25 g cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 90-120 g dark chocolate, chopped
• optional: flaky salt or a little extra orange zest for finishing
• The dough should be soft and smooth, not sticky and wet.
• Chill time matters: warm dough spreads too much and loses the baton shape.
• The finished biscuit should snap lightly at the edge, then melt into a tender buttery center.
• Chocolate should be glossy when dipped and just set before storing.

Method

1. Line two baking trays with parchment. Beat butter, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla until creamy, pale, and fragrant. The zest should be well rubbed into the butter so the citrus oils carry through the dough.
2. Beat in the egg yolk until the mixture looks smooth. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix gently just until the dough comes together with no dry streaks. Stop early rather than whipping air into the dough.
3. Pat the dough into a flat rectangle, wrap or cover, and chill for 25-30 minutes. It should feel firm enough to cut but not rock hard.
4. Heat the oven to 170C / 340F. Cut the chilled dough into finger-width batons, about 8-9 cm long. Move them to the trays with space between each one.
5. Bake 12-15 minutes, rotating trays if needed, until the edges are pale gold and the centers look set. Let the batons cool on the tray for 8-10 minutes, then move carefully to a rack. They firm and crisp as they cool.
6. Melt the dark chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl. Dip one end of each cooled baton, scrape the underside lightly against the bowl edge, and set on parchment. Add a tiny pinch of flaky salt or orange zest before the chocolate sets.

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