Saffron Shortbread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon saffron thread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into bits
1 teaspoon orange flower water

Preparation

Set a rack over a sauce pan of boiling was. Put the saffron in a saucer on the rack and let the saffron steam for 3 to 4 minutes or until it is brittle. Remove from steam and crumble the saffron.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, the crumbled saffron, baking powder, salt and sugar. Blend the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Sprinkle the dough with the orange flower water and blend it well.
Pat the dough into an 8 inch square bakng pan and bake in the lower third of a pre-heated 350F oven for 1 hour, or until it is golden. Cut the shortbread into squares while it is still warm, transfer the squares to a rack, and let them cool.