Hazelnut Orange Fingers

1. Place hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan and bake in a 350° oven for 13 to 14 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. While still warm, rub briskly in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the skins from the nuts. Place nuts in a food processor. Cover and process until nuts are finely ground; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium to high speed, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and orange peel and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in ground hazelnuts until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

3. Roll 1-tablespoon portions of dough into 2 1/2-inch finger shapes. Place fingers 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

4. Bake in a 350° oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets. Transfer fingers to wire racks to cool completely.

5. In a small heavy saucepan melt semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon shortening over low heat. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate mixture to coat, allowing excess to drip off. Place fingers on waxed paper until chocolate is set. In a small heavy saucepan melt milk chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon shortening over low heat. With a spoon or whisk, drizzle chocolate over cookies. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

TO STORE : Store undipped cookies, layered between sheets of waxed paper, in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before dipping in chocolate and drizzling.