Lemon on Lemon Cookies

I've just added a new favorite recipe to the list, these lemon cookies with lemon filling are amazing! The cookie itself is a great recipe, with a really buttery texture and the filling is the finishing touch, you could definitely mix this recipe up and switch the lemon zest & juice and instead use orange. This is the first time I tried to make sandwich cookies and I must say that I felt like a pro baker, I had always stayed away from them thinking that they were too complicated, but these are really easy and fun. Note to self would be to make the cookies thinner and add lemon zest to the filling, but if you're not too crazy  over a very lemony taste the original lemon filling recipe works just fine. These cookies would be the perfect companion for a coffee or tea brake! Hope you like them!

Let me know!

Xo

Flor

Lemon Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour, finishing mixing with a wooden spoon.

Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour and up to 3 days.

Place dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick. (If dough cracks, let it warm up slightly).

Cut cookies with a 1 1/2 inch round cutter. Place 1 inch apart; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until bare beginning to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

Lemon Filling

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Steps:

Combine sugar and lemon zest until smooth but not runny, add more confectioners' sugar to thicken.

Source: Martha Stewart 

1. 
   

Miniature Lemon Delights

There's something about lemon sweets that just makes them perfect for summer. I usually wouldn't put Butter Cream Frosting and the word light in the same sentence, but this one is particularly light and refreshing tasting. I used a basic vanilla cupcake recipe, super easy to make, because I wanted it to be about the lemon frosting. I thought of maybe doing lemon cupcakes, but the vanilla ones were really the perfect canvas for the frosting and gave for a more light tasting sweet and not an overpowering lemon taste. I went for miniature cupcakes instead of the regular ones, to keep them bite sized and in the same line of simple and light. This recipe works perfectly for a summer get together, they're petite and refreshing, which is really important in hot summer days. I'll be posting more recipes about lemon treats during the next couple of weeks, I personally think lemon is the way to go during summer, plus I saw a lemon and honey tart that's just calling my name! Hope you like the recipe!

Let me know!

Xo

Flor

Vanilla Cupcakes

1 1/3 cups sifted flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

2/3 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add shortening and milk, stir to blend, then beat slowly about 1 1/2 minutes with an electric mixer. 

Add egg and vanilla and beat slowly 1 1/2 minutes. Bake 20-25 minutes until cakes are golden brown and springy to the touch. Let cool.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened to room temp

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar, sifted

4-5 tablespoons lemon juice

3-4 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cream butter until fluffily; beat in sugar, a little at a time, adding alternately with lemon juice. Mix in finely grated lemon rind and salt and beat until satiny and of good spreading consistency.

Very Lemony Crunch Cake

When I think about desserts on a lazy spring afternoon what comes to mind are light & fresh desserts, using fruits you just got at the market. When you try this lemon cake you'll understand what I mean by a light & fresh dessert. This cake is definitely for a lemon lover, but if you wish to tone it down you can use less lemon zest & juice. Originally I wanted to make Meringue frosting, but it was a rainy day so I knew the egg whites wouldn't rise, so I decided on the 7 Minute Frosting which is a great substitute for Meringue when you have a humid day. The difference between these 2 frosting is that the Meringue Frosting has an even lighter feel to it, the 7 Minute has a richer texture. I can envision this cake as the perfect dessert for a outdoor lunch. On what occasion would you use it?! Hope you liked the post!

Xo

Flor

Very Lemony Crunch Cake 
  Bake & Decorate by Fiona Cairns

For the Cake:                                                                    For the topping:
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour                                                 1/2 cup granulated sugar
a pinch of salt                                                                    juice of 1 large lemon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened plus more for the pan
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Lightly butter a 7'' springform pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside to cool slightly.
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the eggs and sugar together until very light and fluffy (about 5 mins). Blend in the melted butter; then very gently fold in the flour mixture and lemon zest.
Finally, slowly fold in the lemon juice.
Pour and spread the batter into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake springs back to the touch, or wooden toothpick comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the crunch topping by simple mixing the sugar and lemon juice together. As soon as the cake comes out from the oven, pierce tiny holes all over it with a wooden toothpick and pour the lemon syrup evenly all over the surface.
Let cool completely in the pan. Remove the side of the pan and the side papers. 

7 Minute Frosting
Click on this link for the 7 Minute Frosting recipe.