Lemon Iced Cookies and Lemon Shortbread Truffles

This was a week of garden parties and I was asked

to make these lemon cookies from Cook's Illustrated.

I am always a little nervous about making something

I haven't made before, but these turned out beautifully.

I have never liked refrigerator cookies as they don't stay

round and beautiful so I searched the internet for ideas

and someone suggested using a paper towel roll to

refrigerate the cookies in so that they retain their

roundness.

That worked perfectly.  I shaped the cookie dough into a log

and then wrapped it in parchment paper and placed it inside

the paper towel roll which I had opened up down the center

with a scissors.  

Yes!!  Nice and round refrigerator cookies.

The garden party had been scheduled for June but was rained

out.  I had promised that I would sugar some of my flowers

to top the cookies with, to add to the garden theme.  Well,

a month later, I hadn't pulled any of the pansies in the shady

areas, and I was able to have enough flowers to sugar for

two batches of cookies.  I added a few rose petals in to get

the pretty pink flowers, and I sugared some mint leaves.

The mint leaves are so fun, they are like a piece of mint candy. 

People thought they were too pretty to eat.  I 

had no problem eating a few.  These were perfectly

 lemon and soft and wonderful!

Lemon Iced Cookies Recipe

(from Cooks Illustrated)

3/4 C. granulated sugar

2 T. grated lemon zest plus 2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 3/4 C. unbleached flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

12 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 large egg yolk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze

1 T. cream cheese, softened

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 C. powdered sugar

In a food processor, pulse the sugar and lemon zest until

the sugar looks moist.  Pulse in the flour, baking powder 

and salt.  Then add the butter and pulse it until it looks like

fine cornmeal.  In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, egg yolk and vanilla.

Pour that in and pulse until mixed thoroughly and the dough forms

a ball.

Remove and roll into a log about 10 inches long.  Wrap the

log in parchment paper and place inside a paper towel roll

that has been cut lengthwise down the center.  Place in

the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 and cover pans with parchment paper.

Slice the log of dough into 3/8 inch slices, turning the log a

quarter turn with every slice so the log doesn't flatten.

Place the cookies on the parchment paper and bake for 12-13

minutes.  I like a soft cookie with no brown edges.  They 

suggest baking at 375 for 14-16 minutes or until edges

are brown.  Everyone likes their cookies different, so adjust

your heat and cooking time.  I won't eat a cookie that has a

brown edge, so I chose lower heat and a lower cooking time.

Let cool on pan and then remove.

Stir the ingredients for the glaze together.

They call it a glaze, but it was more like a frosting.

Spoon a little on each cookie.  Garnish as desired.

I garnished with sugared flowers.

Refrigerate since there is cream cheese in the frosting.

Sugared Flowers

Choose fresh flowers and mint leaves that are pesticide free.

Rinse the flowers in a bowl of water.

In a small bowl, mix 2 T. water with 2 tsp. Just Whites - a powdered

egg white product that you can find in your baking aisle.

Mix it well, it will be lumpy at first, but keep mixing with

a fork or a small whisk.  When it is mostly blended,

pour it through a fine sieve.  You don't want lumps.

Dip both sides of the petal in the egg white mix, then gently blot off

any excess egg white mix.  You don't want blobs of sugar created by

too much liquid on the flower.

Hold the petals or leaves over a small bowl of sugar

and  sprinkle sugar on both sides.  Lay on parchment paper to

dry several hours or overnight.

I also brought Lemon Shortbread Truffles for

this garden party, and they were topped with

sugared violets that I had done earlier in the spring.

I had already blogged about these before, but they turned

out so much prettier with the violets on top, I had to

show them to you again.

(The table with the delicious Spa Waters made by Rache,l and my treats, before

more cookies and watermelon slices arrived.)

The party was at my friend Karen's beautiful home and yard.  Karen is a Master Gardener and taught us about Cottage Gardening.  Her yard is such a joy to be in.  She loves

to spend hours in her garden and even has an aviary.

It was such a treat to be taught about gardening by Karen,

and to share in the beauty of her home and garden. 

I hope you give these wonderful cookies a try.  You don't

have to have sugared flowers on top for them to taste fantastic.

There is just something about lemons and summer!!

I will be posting this with

Mosaic Monday

Foodie Friday

Share Your Cup Thursday