Holiday Cookie Contest Winner Orange Fennel Sugar Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Zest oranges until you have 2 teaspoons of orange zest. Juice until you have 2 tablespoons of juice. Set both aside. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and 1/2 cup sugar, beating until well combined. Mix in orange zest, orange juice, fennel, eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour and, once incorporated, cover dough and refrigerate for about 3 hours. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll chilled dough into 3/4-inch balls. Roll the dough balls in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Press down each ball with the sugared bottom of a glass. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until cookie bottom is light brown. Cool. Brush the bottom of each cookie with melted chocolate. Then turn the cookie over and use a dab of melted chocolate to secure a piece of candied orange peel to the top of each cookie. Makes 4 dozen cookies. Candied Orange Peel: Peel the skin from 2 oranges and cut the peel into 1/4-inch strips. Place the peel in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup water and 2/3 cup sugar. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is 230 to 235 F (soft ball stage) measured with a candy thermometer. Add the orange peels and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain. Place 1/2 cup sugar on a plate, and, working quickly, roll each orange peel in sugar. Allow to dry for several hours on wax paper at room temperature. Notes To toast fennel: Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the seeds and toast until aromatic and slightly brown, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. To melt chocolate in a microwave: Place in a bowl and heat on medium power for 20 seconds at time, stirring in between until melted, using care not to scorch the chocolate.