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52 Weeks of Baking: Easy Lemon Cookies

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:35:11 -0700

When I asked the Sugar HQ what kind of cookies I should make for this week's 52 Weeks of Baking project, BuzzSugar quickly answered, "LEMON!" I couldn't turn down such an enthusiastic request, and so lemon cookies it was. She specifically asked for crisp lemon cookies, however when searching for a recipe, I kept seeing ones that called for lemon cake mix instead. At first I kept looking for something else, but then I figured why not make it easy on myself? Why not start with a cake mix?

In the end I was really glad I did. These cookies came out fluffy and light, with a slightly crisp outside. They also come together in no time at all. To get the recipe and see my step by step photos, read more

Note: I added a bit of pudding to mine, it was too runny and I had to add more flour to balance it out. This recipe is the standard recipe, and should come out fantastic, I don't think there is any need for the extra pudding. However, if you want to make it exactly like I did, the modified parts are in brackets.

Easy Lemon Cookies
From BakeSpace member Ali

1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration
[1/4 cup lemon pudding - I used Jell-o instant pudding]

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, and lemon extract until well blended. [Add pudding, if it's too runny add flour until consistency is firm enough to make balls - even if they do get flattened out immediately.]
Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl of confectioners' sugar. Roll them around until they're lightly covered.
Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 6 to 9 minutes in the preheated oven. [I baked for 11-13 minutes]. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides chewy.

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A Wee Little Lemon Cookie

YumSugar — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 09:03:17 -0700

I was trying to figure out what the next cookie in our National Cookie Month coverage should be when I spied these adorable petite lemon curd cookies. They look a bit like traditional French Macaroons, but are a lot easier to handle. Plus, they're filled with a delectable lemon curd, so what's not to love? To check out the recipe for these tea party worthy bites, read more

Petite Lemon Curd Cookies
From Gourmet magazine, December 2003

For Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar for dredging and dusting

For Lemon Curd
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into bits
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks

Special equipment: a 1 1/4-inch round cookie cutter; a pastry bag fitted with small plain tip or a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag (not pleated)

Prepare cookie dough:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 with a handheld. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Form dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 6-inch disk. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Make lemon curd:

Simmer lemon juice, zest, sugar, butter, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl, then add 1/4 cup lemon mixture, whisking. Add yolk mixture to remaining lemon mixture, then reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, then cover surface with plastic wrap and chill while rolling out dough.

Roll out dough:

While oven preheats, roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) into a 9-inch round (slightly less than 1/4 inch thick) on a well-floured surface with a well-floured rolling pin. (If dough becomes too soft to roll out, chill on a baking sheet until firm.) Cut out as many cookies as possible with cutter.

Finish up:

Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Dredge warm cookies in confectioners sugar until coated and transfer to a rack to cool completely. Make more cookies in same manner.
Transfer lemon curd to pastry bag or plastic bag (snip an 1/8-inch opening in a corner of plastic bag). Put 1 cookie upside down on work surface and pipe about 1/2 teaspoon lemon curd onto cookie, then top with another cookie, right side up, to form a sandwich. Make more sandwiches in same manner.
Just before serving, sift some remaining confectioners sugar over tops of sandwiched cookies.

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Snap in to a Lemon-Basil Snap

YumSugar — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:28:19 -0700

It's a little late in the season for basil - although I've still seen thriving bunches in the store - but when I saw this recipe for Lemon-Basil Snaps, I knew I had to share it with you. From the look of things, it seems to be a cross between a cookie and a savory biscuit. Call me crazy, but I think this is exactly the sort of recipe that would be worth giving around the holidays. Can you imagine the reaction you'll receive - assuming you can get your hands on some fresh basil - when you present someone with a basil cookie? If you're feeling adventurous give this recipe a try, just read more

Lemon-Basil Snaps
From Southern Living magazine, November 2005

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup minced fresh lemon basil leaves*
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
3 tablespoons sugar

Makes 3 dozen

Beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy; add 3/4 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg and next 3 ingredients, beating until blended.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Combine nuts and 3 tablespoons sugar in a shallow bowl.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in nut mixture, and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with hands or bottom of a glass.
Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

*Fresh sweet basil may be substituted.

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Must Read: Sips & Apps

partysugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:14 -0700

Thanks to shows like Mad Men, it's clear that the ritual of the cocktail hour - a time in the late afternoon where potent drinks are sipped and savory snacks are nibbled - is poised to make a comeback. A recent book, Sips & Apps ($19.95) by Kathy Casey, further promotes the idea by providing happy homemakers with a plethora of modern and classic cocktails, and a handful of incredibly tasty-sounding bar snacks. To learn more about this bartending guide keep reading.

A Month of Cookies Roundup

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 09:01:52 -0700

Last month was National Cookie Month and, in case you didn't know, we featured a different cookie recipe each day. If you missed any of them, then you're in luck, we've compiled them all for you right here. There were some basics like snickerdoodles and shortbread, but there were also some new finds like potato chip cookies. So check out the list - there are 32, one for each day and one extra! - and see what strikes your fancy!

Happy Hour: Josh Wesson on Pairing Food and Wine

partysugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:00:16 -0700

Despite the long lines and hungry event goers, there was one thing the organizers of the Great American Food and Music Festival did right: they invited Josh Wesson to give a special wine seminar. Wesson is a highly regarded wine professional. He's won countless awards and cofounded New York's acclaimed Best Cellars. I was lucky enough to attend Wesson's seminar, Fast Food/Faster Wine! In it he discussed the foundations for pairing food and wine. To learn what he had to say, read more.

Look for similarities. An obvious pairing is a dessert with a dessert wine. Just make sure the dessert (cake, cookie, pie, etc.) is sweeter than the wine.
Balance sweet and sour. When a dish is highly acidic, look for a sweet wine. If the pairing works, the food will taste less acidic and the wine will taste less sweet.
Think about the dominant taste. Do you want the strongest flavor to be the food or the wine?
Look for ways for the food and wine to complement each other. When a fish tastes oily, it's often served with fresh lemon because the acidity mutes the fishy flavor. This same effect can be achieved with an acidic white wine.
Consider the smell of the wine. Without a sense of smell, the wine is tasteless.
Drink a lot of wine. Don't be afraid to try new wines and different pairings.
The final point that Wesson stressed was that drinking and pairing wine is subjective. If it doesn't appeal to your palate, don't drink it.

Do you enjoy pairing wine with food? What are your go-to matches?

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Blueberries Take Over My Shortcake

YumSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:15:54 -0700

Since blueberry season has begun, I couldn't help but go overboard and buy several baskets from my local farmers market. While I enjoyed one basket raw, I used the rest to make these mini blueberry shortcakes with lemon and thyme biscuits.

The moist biscuits are simple to make. The final dish is not too sweet, so the pure flavor of blueberries shines through in each bite. Although the original recipe calls for a larger biscuit, I decided to use a shot glass (instead of a cookie cutter) to make them mini. The shortcakes are delicious with a dollop of heavy cream or scoop of ice cream. To try these bite-sized blueberry shortcakes, read more.

Mini Blueberry Shortcake Biscuits
Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Filling
4 cups fresh blueberries (rinsed, drained well)
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
Biscuit
3/4 cup chilled buttermilk
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
1 tablespoon raw sugar
Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipping cream

Directions

Make the filling: Combine blueberries, powdered sugar and water in a large saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until berries are slightly softened and syrup coats the spoon about 10 minutes. Transfer to medium glass bowl and let cool to room temperature. Can be made 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Make the biscuits: Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Mix buttermilk, lemon peel, and thyme in a small bowl.
Whisk next 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend, breaking up any large clumps of brown sugar with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add buttermilk mixture and stir with fork just until blended (the dough will be sticky).
Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Knead gently just until the dough comes together, 4 to 5 turns. Pat dough out to 3/4 inch thick round. Using a shot glass or 1 1/2 inch diameter cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut out dough rounds.
Transfer dough rounds to prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle rounds with raw sugar. Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool.
Using a serrated knife, carefully cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom half of each biscuit on large serving tray. Spoon blueberries and syrup equally over each biscuit. Cover with top of biscuit.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes 30 mini blueberry biscuit shortcakes.

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Lemon Custard Cakes Are Lusciously Delicious

partysugar — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 08:00:05 -0800

Every once in a while, I'll be browsing a food magazine and come across a recipe that I simply must make. This recipe for lemon custard cakes from the February issue of Bon Appétit is the perfect example. After gorging on decadent chocolate desserts for Valentine's Day, I was desperate for a light, refreshing treat.

These simple cakes are delightful; they're like lemon bars without the shortbread cookie crust. The texture is between a thick pudding and moist cake. The intensely fresh lemon flavor is tart, but in the most wonderful way. Don't skip the whipped creme fraîche topping. Its silky smooth creaminess balances out the zesty citrus.

Although the recipe calls for Meyer lemons, I used regular ones. To get started on these individual cakes now - they need at least four hours to chill - read more.

Lemon Custard Cakes
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice or regular lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon peel or regular lemon peel
1 8-ounce container chilled crème fraîche*

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups.
Whisk 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, and pinch of salt in medium bowl to blend.
Combine milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl; whisk until blended.
Add flour mixture to yolk mixture and whisk custard until blended.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar to whites and beat until stiff but not dry.
Fold 1/4 of whites into custard. Fold remaining whites into custard in 2 additions (custard will be slightly runny).
Divide custard equally among prepared ramekins. Place ramekins in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake custard cakes until golden brown and set on top (custard cakes will be slightly soft in center), about 27 minutes.
Chill custard cakes uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours, then cover and keep refrigerated. Custard cakes can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Using electric mixer, beat crème fraîche in medium bowl until softly whipped.
Run small knife around each custard cake to loosen. Invert each cake onto plate. Place dollop of crème fraîche atop or alongside cakes and serve.

Makes 8 cakes.

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Facing Increased Costs, Girl Scouts Downsize Cookie Boxes

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:00:08 -0800

It's always seemed a little too effortless to finish off a box of Girl Scout cookies, but if they are a little easier to dust off this year, it's not just in your head. To offset the cost increases of cookie ingredients, Girl Scouts of the USA made the decision to shrink its cookie boxes by a centimeter, package fewer cookies into boxes of Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Tagalongs, and reduce the size of its Lemon Chalet Crèmes. According to the organization, the cost of flour rose by 30 percent, assorted cooking oils by 40 percent, and cocoa by at least 20 percent. The company felt this was the best method of dealing with increasing raw material prices. Alternatively, Girl Scouts could have used cheaper ingredients, or raised cookie prices from their current price of $3.50 per box.

This doesn't come as a surprise to me, since last year producers began rolling out shrunken products in reaction to the price of food on the rise. I'm secretly a bit excited - for once, the downsized box may be enough for me to stop short of a stomachache.

How do you feel about this news? Does it affect your decision to buy the cookies?

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Summer of Sandwiches: Living the Americone Dream

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:16:39 -0700

Let's face it, some nights there's barely enough time to make a main dish, let alone dessert - especially if you're pulling together an impromptu dinner party. In a pinch, you've probably picked up a bakery cake or pie and said, "that'll do." However, now that the weather's warmer, I suggest a dessert that's just as simple and wonderfully seasonal: ice cream sandwiches. Everyone loves them and are always amazed by the effort. If you use completely store-bought ingredients (like Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and and Pepperidge Farm cookies) the entire dessert comes together in about 2 minutes. I won't tell your guests if you don't!

To read a few tips on flavor pairings, how to choose the right cookies and how to keep your sandwiches firm, read more

When making ice cream sandwiches, try to let either the ice cream do the talking, or the cookie. For example, when I made my sandwiches, I chose Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream, vanilla with a caramel swirl and chocolate covered waffle cone pieces and decided to pair it with simple chocolate cookies. However, if I had gone for a lemon-ginger cookie, I probably would have paired it with plain vanilla.
When choosing a cookie, look for ones that are large and chewy when fresh. If they're too firm they're likely to crack when eating. The best ones are cookies you can really sink your teeth in. If you're going with store-bought cookies, look at the ones they offer in the bakery first. If your grocery store doesn't have a bakery, look for large ones that are labeled chewy.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the ice cream. One large scoop in the center will be easier to deal with than several smaller spoonfuls.
Before scooping, take the ice cream out of the freezer for 15 minutes. This will make the ice cream softer and easier to scoop.
You can serve your sandwiches immediately, but they may be quite runny and the ice cream will squish out the sides while eating. To prevent this, make them and put them on a baking sheet (covered in wax or parchment paper) and stick them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (tip: make them before you start making dinner). If you plan on keeping them around for a few days, be sure to transfer them to an airtight container.

Know any great ice cream sandwich tips? How about great store-bought cookie recommendations? Tell us all in the comments below!

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