Vegan Orange Sandwich Cookies

Method (cookies)

1. Add the caster sugar into a bowl, along with the orange zest and orange extract. Use your fingers to rub the orange into the sugar.
2. Cream the butter, drop of orange food gel and orange sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. This can either be done using a stand mixer and paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand whisk / spatula. Sift in the flour and mix into a thick dough. Transfer the dough into plastic wrap or baking paper and chill in the fridge for at least 40 minutes -1 hour to firm up.
3. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C fan and line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
4. Once the dough is chilled and firm to the touch, roll out to approximately  1/2 inch thickness on a heavily floured work surface (this prevents the dough from sticking). Cut into shapes using a oval / orange shape cookie cutter. Place the shapes on the lined baking tray. Lightly prick with a fork to create the texture.
5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown at the edges. You can even turn the tray half way through to ensure an even baking.
6. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly on the tray before transferring to a wire rack. Repeat until all the cookies are baked.
7. Allow to cool before adding in the orange curd and cream filling, or it may melt.

Method (orange curd)

1. In a small bowl, add in the corn flour and water. Stir together into thick paste.
2. Add the cornflour paste, dairy-free butter, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, condensed milk and a small drop of orange food gel into a medium sized saucepan.
3. Place the saucepan on the hob and heat over low to medium, stirring constantly, preferably with a whisk. After around 5-8 minutes the orange curd will thicken. If the curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk.
4. Pour the curd into a heat proof jar or bowl, cover and place aside to cool down.
5. You can either put it in the fridge or keep it at room temperature to cool. Before you use it, give it a good stir as it will thicken. If it jellifies too much, you can always whisk in some more condensed milk to help loosen. 

Method (Cream)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.
2. Add in the icing sugar, orange extract and orange zest, whip to combine. Whip for 5 minutes on high speed until the buttercream becomes pale and fluffy in texture. If it’s too thick add in a splash of dairy-free milk to get it to the right consistency. It should be thick and creamy.
3. Transfer the buttercream in to a piping bag fitted with a medium sized round tip nozzle.
4. Dip the tops of half the cookies in some caster sugar. Pipe cream to half of the cookies, filling the middle with orange curd (refer to video for visual reference) and place a sugar coated cookie on top to sandwich.
5. Add in a mint leaf for decoration.
6. Serve and enjoy!