Christmas Cookie Week: Gluten Free Candied-Orange Chocolate Danties

If Santa were a gluten free food snob, these are the cookies he’d be leaving notes for year after year.

Chocolate and orange is a marriage that has survived the test of time or one very simple reason–because it was meant to be. The mere idea divorcing them at this point would be an act of culinary treason, and I’m all about praising a good thing when I see it, so here is my way of raising a glass of the bubbly to their happy union, bathed in a chocolate glaze and crowned with an elegant slice of sugared orange. Oh sugar!

I love the play of the candied orange coupled with the orange liquor in this recipe as it creates this gorgeous counterpoint to the rich, moist chocolate body of the cookie. The mouth feel is lusty and exciting with the chewy bits of orange a surprise at every bite. Can you tell I love these cookies? It’s a thing of beauty, both inside and out, so if you want to shine at your cookie swap, make these. If you want to see your guests tugging at their collars in a moment of heated pleasure, make these. If you want to make your self happy, make these.

As the name suggests, they are in fact dainty–easy as pie to make and the perfect sparkle pony for your Christmas cookie platter, and Santa really loves them.

He loves them so much, he dropped me a line yesterday and requested that I leave “three dozen of my candied orange dainties” out for him this year as “Mrs. Claus is a fan,” so I guess Santa really is a gluten free foodie after all. Cheers!

Candied-Orange Chocolate Danties

30 g. or ¼ cup + ½ teaspoon glutinous rice flour
30 g. or ¼ cup + 2 ¼ teaspoons arrowroot
30 g. or 2 tablespoons + 2 ¼ teaspoons potato starch
20 g. or 2 tablespoons + 2 ½ teaspoons sorghum flour
20 g. or 2 tablespoons + 2 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
35 g. or 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
35 g. or 2 tablespoons + 1 ¼ teaspoons castor sugar
30 g. or 3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
55 g. or 3 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons guar gum
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, like spectrum
4 chicken egg yolks or 2 duck egg yolks

2 tablespoons paula’s texas orange liquor

¼ cup candied orange peel, finely diced

Before you begin the cookies, make the candied orange rind:

Candied Orange

1 navel orange
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

additional granulated sugar for coating

Using a very sharp knife and a gentle back and forth motion, shave the rind from your navel orange.

Slice the rind into very thin strips.

Melt the sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the sliced zest. Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and allow the zest to steep for 15 minutes.

Using a fork, drain pieces of the zest a time, making sure no syrup is dripping from the rind before rolling in the sugar. Repeat until all pieces covered. Allow to dry out completely before using, at least 30 minutes.

Will store for up to 1 year in an airtight container.

Alas, we begin the cookies!

Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with silpats or parchment paper.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients and mix on the lowest setting to amalgamate.

Add the vegetable shortening and mix on low until the mixture looks like moisture laden flour. With the mixer still on low, pour in the chicken egg yolks or duck egg yolks if using, and mix until the dough spins into little peas; add the orange liquor and then mix on high until the dough folds in on itself. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the diced candied orange and then increase the mixer to high to incorporate, only 7 rotations of the paddle.

Allow the dough to rest for five minutes and then using a plastic pastry scraper, form the dough into a ball. You should be able to very easily touch the dough without it sticking.

Using a 1 ½ inch ice cream scooper, scoop out the dough, leveling it against the side of the bowl to insure uniformity. Roll into a ball in the palms of your hands. Place the cookies, staggered onto your prepared cookie sheets, and bake in the middle position of your oven for 11-12 minutes. The cookies are done with the dough has a matte finish and is firm to the touch.

Allow to set on the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack for the glaze.

All Photos by Knoxy

Chocolate Chocolate Glaze

2/3 cup sugar
5 tablespoons water
¼ cup light corn syrup
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Godiva chocolate liquor

Melt the sugar, water and light corn syrup in a saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a boil, whisking form time to time to help dissolve the sugar and prevent it from burning. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, making sure it is totally submerged so it can melt equally. After three minutes, begin whisking until the chocolate is totally melted and very smooth. Whisk in the liquor. Allow the glaze to thicken for five minutes or so.

Place the wire rack with the dainties over a sheet pan and then pour the glaze over each cookie, being careful to get a nice even coat.

Immediately top with slivers of candied orange rind.

Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Makes exactly 18 cookies.