Chocolate Orange Shortbread Sundaes

I don’t know what it is, but ever since Christmas I’ve been craving a chocolate orange. Specifically, the chocolate shaped like an orange that you have to tap hammer on the table to crack open.

I think it’s because, growing up, I always used to get one in my stocking every year for Christmas (along with several other chocolate treats, because the stocking was my Dad’s domain). And probably because, I would often pick one up for cheap in the January sales, once I became too old to get a stocking anymore *sob*.

Since travelling and living abroad, I’ve haven’t eaten a chocolate orange. It’s been three years now and, after passing up the opportunity to buy one when we were home this past Christmas, I’ve been baking everything with chocolate orange flavours that I can think of. That’s where this orange shortbread stepped in, that I slathered in creamy ice cream and melted chocolate.

Now, let me set the record straight. I know that chocolate oranges aren’t particularly good quality and definitely aren’t good for you, but there’s always been something about the chocolate and orange combination that I’ve loved. Maybe it’s because it reminds me of happy childhood Christmas memories? Who knows.

Anyhow, if you’re like me and you love the taste of chocolate and orange together, then this super easy and ridiculously tasty dessert is for you. It combines a crumbled orange shortbread base, a whipped cream ice cream (or just whipped vanilla cream, if you’d prefer) topping and a generous dollop of melted milk chocolate.

I kid you not, when Scott ate this, he said that it was just as good, if not better, than a restaurant-quality dessert and that he would gladly pay several dollars for it when eating out. I could only agree. These chocolate orange shortbread sundaes may look simple and less than glamorous, but they definitely taste sophisticated and dreamy.

As an aside – you can quite easily just make the orange shortbread from this recipe and eat it on its own. It’s really delicious, served either way.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Sundaes

Recipe by Julia

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• For the orange shortbread

• 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup (63g) icing (confectioners’) sugar

• Zest of one medium orange, grated, plus 2 tbsp juice

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• For the sundae topping

• 1.5 pint (450g) tub of soft whipped ice cream

• 3.5oz (100g) bar milk chocolate, melted

Directions

• Preheat oven to 330F / 150C and grease an 8×8 square baking tray.
• Cream the butter and sugar together with a mixer until light and fluffy (takes about a minute).
• Add the orange zest and juice, vanilla, flour and salt and mix until just combined (i.e. there is no flour left on the sides of the bowl)
• Press the dough into the baking pan with your fingers and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the shortbread is golden, but not browned.
• Allow the shortbread to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Crumble the shortbread and divide evenly between eight serving glasses. Top with a generous scoop of the ice cream and the drizzle over the melted milk chocolate.
• Garnish with a small wedge of the orange and serve.