COVID-19 is forcing us to stay home: I’m trying to brighten up your time in isolation with this recipe for lemon cookies.
Lemon Cookies
Ingredients
- 300 g 00 flour
- 120 g sugar
- 100 g softened butter (at room temperature)
- 1 egg
- zest and juice of one large lemon (or two small ones)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder (optional)
Directions
Before getting our hands dirty, let’s prepare a piece of plastic wrap (50 cm long should be enough) to wrap the dough we’re going to make.
Beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is fluffy.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with the salt. Once done, add it to the initial butter and sugar mixture, then stir.
Add the lemon zest and juice, then stir.
Add the flour and baking powder (if you’ve decided to use it), then mix.
Make a ball of shortcrust pastry, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for an hour: if you shape it into a ball, it will cool faster once it’s in the fridge.
Once an hour has passed, it’s time to take the dough out of the fridge. Cut a few sheets of parchment paper to fit the baking sheet. Get two bowls ready: one with granulated sugar (the regular sugar we have in the kitchen) and the other with powdered sugar.
Form the dough into small balls and roll them first in the bowl of granulated sugar and then in the bowl of powdered sugar.
Flatten the balls slightly and place them on parchment paper, then refrigerate them for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional) and, once it has reached the desired temperature, bake for 18 minutes.
Note that toward the end of cooking, cracks will form—that’s what makes them so distinctive!
Once they’re done cooking, let them cool on a rack before putting them away—all done!
