February 28, 2016

Happy Thursday! These Meyer lemon shortbread cookies from the Saveur 100 are a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day! Two buttery cookies filled with lemon zest are sandwiched with a tart and creamy lemon curd made with freshly-squeezed Meyer lemons. It is finally raining here in LA, so we are staying inside, baking these delicious cookies, and loving every minute of this cozy, wintry weather! Have a great day everyone! xoxo Adam & Ryan

Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies
adapted from Saveur
makes about 20

For the lemon curd:
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the cookies:
1 1/3 cups (6oz) all-purpose flour
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
zest from two lemons

Make the curd:
Place the sugar, egg, egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan, and whisk to combine. Set pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the curd thickens and bubbles begin to break on the surface. Remove pan from heat, add the butter and stir until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Make the cookies:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, sugar, salt, and zest and blend on medium until the dough comes together. Gather the dough into a ball, then flatten it slightly to a disc. Place the dough on a floured piece of parchment paper, and cover with a second sheet of parchment. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick, then peel off the parchment paper. Use a 1 3/4-inch round cutter to make circles and place them on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart. Re-roll the dough scraps and cut more circles until all the dough is used, and you have 30 to 40 rounds total. Chill the baking sheet for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake cookies until they are lightly golden on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and cool completely. When cool, spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling on the bottom of a cookie, and top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies, and enjoy!