Glazed Lemon Cookies

Over the years, I have been collecting the hard bound volumes of Cook's Illustrated (see here). I have every volume from 1993 to the present. Every so often I peruse through them to create my menu plan for the week. I have made a list of several things I want to make this week, one in particular are the Glazed Lemon Cookies ( March/April 2005). I am going to double the recipe and freeze the pre-shaped dough for another time.

One of my quests for 2010 is to create, find and document all our favorite recipes, both savory and sweet. Although I LOVE trying new things, I want to create a group of recipes that represent our families food passions. This is something I want to pass on to my kids so they will be able to pass them on to their kids. One of my biggest regrets is not having my Grandma Rose's recipes. A few of my cousins took her recipes when she died and have catalogued them. However, most of her food was created with a little of this and a little of that and could probably not have been written down. Yet, having her onion, poppy seed cookie recipe would have made me really, really happy. I can still taste them. Not at all sweet, flaky and crunchy at the same time. Mmmm. I have tried to recreate, but have not been successful. My quest continues.

This recipe is definitely going into the book of favorites.

Next time I will under bake (12 minutes rather than 14)as I was hoping for a softer cookie. Baked at 14 minutes, these are light and crunchy. Not complaining, yet I had something else in mind when i choose the recipe. With that said, these are perfectly delicious!

Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

Lemon Cookies
3/4	cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
2	tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 3/4	cup unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/4	teaspoon table salt
1/4	teaspoon baking powder
12	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2	tablespoons lemon juice
1	large egg yolk
1/2	teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
1	tablespoon cream cheese , softened
2	tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2	cups confectioners' sugar (6 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. For the cookies: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. 2. In food processor, process granulated sugar and lemon zest until sugar looks damp and zest is thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add flour, salt, and baking powder; pulse to combine, about 10 one-second pulses. Scatter butter chunks over; pulse until mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about 15 one-second pulses. In measuring cup or small bowl, beat together lemon juice, egg yolk, and vanilla with fork to combine. With machine running, add juice/yolk mixture in slow, steady stream (process should take about 10 seconds); continue processing until dough begins to form ball, 10 to 15 seconds longer.
   

3. 3. Turn dough and any dry bits onto counter; working quickly, gently knead together to ensure that no dry bits remain and dough is homogeneous. Following illustrations 1 to 3 below, shape dough into log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, wrap dough in parchment, and twist parchment to seal. Chill dough until firm and cold, about 45 minutes in freezer or 2 hours in refrigerator.

4. 4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough log from wrapping and, using sharp chef's knife, slice dough into rounds 3/8 inch thick; place on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake until centers of cookies just begin to color and edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time. Cool cookies on baking sheet about 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature before glazing.
   

5. 5. For the glaze: Whisk cream cheese and lemon juice in medium nonreactive bowl until no lumps remain. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk until smooth.

6. 6. To glaze the cookies: When cookies have cooled, working one at a time, spoon scant teaspoon glaze onto each cookie and spread evenly with back of spoon. Let cookies stand on wire rack until glaze is set and dry, about 1 hour.