Orange nutmeg cookies

I’ve been using the Internet for ages now – 5 ½ years of blogging alone – but it still amazes me how much good, useful information I have at the tip of my fingers. And how wonderful it is to find people who share my opinions about several things, after spending years loving/hating those things alone. Therefore, it was sheer joy to find this video to find out there is someone out there who has pretty much the exact opinion I do about certain movies; I’d throw in three more nominations for “Hanna” – Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana – but other than that the list of “nominees” on the video is pretty much perfect. :)

And this very same useful Internet showed me, many years ago, the domestic goddess Martha Stewart shaping cookie dough with a ruler and my life making slice and bake cookies was never the same again. :D
These orange cookies are delicious and if you have a ruler at home they’ll be a breeze to make.

Orange nutmeg cookies
slightly adapted from the wonderful The Grand Central Baking Book

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar + a little extra for sprinkling the cookie logs
1 egg
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
1 egg, extra, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water (I used an egg yolk I had left from another recipe)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and orange zest until creamy. Add the egg and mix to combine.
In low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix only until incorporated. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into two equal parts. Place each on a piece of parchment paper; shape dough into logs. Fold parchment over dough; using a ruler, roll and press into a 3cm (1 ¼in) log – like Martha does here. Wrap in parchment. Chill in freezer until very firm.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Unwrap one log at a time (keep the other in the freezer). Brush the log with the egg wash and sprinkle with the extra sugar. Cut into 6mm (¼in) thick rounds; space 2.5cm (1in) apart onto prepared sheets. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then bake until just golden around the edges, 20-25 minutes. Cool in the sheet over a wire rack. Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough log.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Makes about 40 cookies