Bruschetta (Three Ways)

How was it that only just last week I noticed there was a huge, glaring, gaping hole in the recipes posted to the blog? I was actually shocked to discover I have never shared a recipe for bruschetta. The classic Italian appetizer that has been around for centuries. In my defense, had I filled that hole at some time during the last nine years, this may be a somewhat anti-climatic post for what is 'drum roll worthy' Bruschetta. One seriously eligible for best ever status as well as one so versatile that can be made three ways. On the upside of committing such an egregious error of omission, I am here to promise the blog will never have a 2.0 version of a classic bruschetta recipe. One everyone should have in their repertoire. In other words, this is the only forever version bruschetta recipe you and I will ever need. Or rather I should say ever want. 

Because of its' simplicity, a great recipe for bruschetta heavily relies on the quality of ingredients. From vine-ripened tomatoes to a flavorful extra virgin olive oil to a great balsamic vinegar to fresh herbs, the flavors of the herb butter (used for making the crostini) and the bruschetta topping depend highly on great, fresh ingredients. Which explains in part, why some of the bruschetta you order at a restaurant doesn't always have a wow factor. But this bruschetta has all of the incredibleness, amazingness, and impressiveness a great bruschetta should have! Quite possibly you may never order bruschetta in a restaurant again. Unless of course that restaurant happens to be somewhere in Italy.

Beyond it's depth of flavor, this bruschetta is incredibly versatile. You can serve it plain, drizzled with a luscious, thick balsamic glaze or both drizzled and topped with some creamy burrata. Yes, it has three different serving options! My personal preference is having bruschetta topped with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a healthy spoonful of burrata. 

Traditionally the bread is rubbed with cloves of garlic, then brushed with some olive oil before getting a sprinkling of salt and pepper. For this bruschetta, the generous 1/4 inch thick slices of ciabatta are spread with a herbed compound butter. Butter, olive oil, Italian parsley, thyme, garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper and white pepper combine to create the perfect elixir to add flavor to the toasted or grilled ciabatta. After all of the herbed butter ingredients are mixed together, it's slightly chilled. When ready to serve the bruschetta, the herbed butter is generously spread on the slices of ciabatta. Whether toasted in the oven or grilled, it makes for the most perfect 'ciabatta crisps'. Further enhancing the 'wow' factor of this bruschetta. The recipe below gives you more herbed compound butter than you need, but it will last for weeks in the refrigerator. Use it to make garlic bread, more bruschetta, or use to enhance the flavor of grilled vegetables. 

The closest bread to Pagnotta, the bread used in Italy to make bruschetta, is ciabatta. It's crusty and sturdy enough to hold the weight of the bruschetta topping(s). Demi-baguette ciabatta loaves cut on the diagonal to a generous 1/4" thickness) make for the perfect bruschetta 'crisps'! Trader Joe's is my go-to place for these loaves, but you might also find them at other grocery stores.

I generously slathered slices of ciabatta and toasted them in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for 9-11 minutes. 

The bruschetta topping is a kind of antipasto. This topping is made with ripe tomatoes, chopped garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, white pepper, Aleppo pepper (or red chile flakes), balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil. I used both Roma and Campari tomatoes. But you could easily use only Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes or even heirloom tomatoes. Whichever tomatoes you choose, make certain they are ripe.

The tomatoes are first cut into a quarter or half inch dice then placed in a colander to drain. Give the tomatoes at least 20 minutes to drain. If you don't drain them or give them enough time to drain your topping will be too juicy. 

Once drained, the rest of the ingredients are added in (see the sequence in the recipe below). It's best to make the bruschetta topping right before you are ready to assemble the bruschetta. Any leftovers you have can be refrigerated and tossed with pasta or used to top some grilled fish.

You can serve a platter of plain bruschetta and have a bottle of balsamic glaze as well as a bowl filled with a ball of burrata available on the side. Or you can drizzle them with the balsamic glaze and have the burrata on the side. Or you can make a bruschetta platter, allowing everyone to create their own bruschetta. Do what works for you!

When I tell you the platter of bruschetta was inhaled, I am not exaggerating. Nothing makes me happier than to see food disappear! Cleaned plates and empty platters are all the signs of a great meal, a great dish. And, in this case, everyone was telling me this was a great bruschetta! I couldn't agree more. Some things are worth the wait. And this versatile bruschetta recipe is one of them. With fresh tomatoes coming into the market, now is the time to invite over some friends, open up a good bottle of wine, and serve a platter of bruschetta. 

Recipe

Bruschetta (Three Ways)

Serves 4-8

Ingredients

Herbed Butter

2 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 heaping teaspoon minced fresh garlic

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Bruschetta

1 1/2 pounds (720g) Roma tomatoes (or a combination of Roma and Campari tomatoes), cut into 1/4" and/or 1/2" pieces

1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons high quality balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chile flakes

1/2 cup (1 ounce/29g) fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade

2 small (6 ounce/176g) Ciabetta demi-baguettes, sliced on the diagonal to a generous 1/4" thickness

Balsamic Glaze

8 ounce (226g) burrata ball (one large or two small)

Directions

Herbed Butter

1. In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter and olive oil together until smooth and creamy.

2. Stir in the parsley, thyme, garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, and white pepper until well blended.

3. Cover and chill for at least an hour. Note: The herbed butter can be made a day ahead. Remove from the refrigerator at least an hour before assembling so the herbed butter compound has a spreadable consistency.

4. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). 

5. Spread each slice of ciabatta with the herbed butter compound. Place on a heavy bottomed, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the ciabatta is golden and crisp. Note: You could also toast the ciabatta on a grill.

6. Transfer the ciabatta to a cooling rack. Then start preparing the bruschetta topping.

Bruschetta

1. Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander. Let the tomatoes drain for at least 30 minutes before mixing in the other ingredients.

2. Put the diced, drained tomatoes into a medium sized bowl. First stir in the olive oil. Followed by the Kosher salt and pepper. Then mix in the garlic.

3. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, then add in the Aleppo pepper. Last, but not least, gently stir in the basil. Be careful to not over stir the mixture.

4. Heap the bruschetta topping on top of each slice of toasted or grilled ciabatta. Drizzle with a balsamic glaze. Top with a spoonful of burrata (or serve burrata on the side and let your guests do the honor).

Notes:(1) The bruschetta topping is best the day it's made. But leftovers can be used to toss with pasta or used as topping for grilled fish. (2) I like the demi-baguette Ciabatta loaves from Trader Joe's.

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (May 2022)

Fudgiest Brownies

The unofficial start to summer begins this Memorial Day weekend! And in attempt to beat the summer crowds that vacation in Door County, Wisconsin (aka the Cape Cod of the Midwest), my friend Karen and I took a three day midweek trip up there. We stopped for lunch at the rustic Irish farmhouse Whistling Straights restaurant in Sheboygan, hiked in Peninsula State Park, did plenty of sightseeing, were guilty of doing some damage shopping and antiquing, put together a puzzle, made the obligatory stop for Swedish pancakes at Al Johnson's in Sister Bay, dipped our feet in Lake Michigan, and wandered the cherry orchards taking photos of the trees in full bloom (definitely a sight to behold). Not even the heavy rains on the first day or an overcast sky on the second could spoil anything about this too much fun trip. While there was never a dull moment, we both returned feeling relaxed and refreshed. Making this short getaway an even more perfect adventure.

Before I left, I made a batch of these omg, to die for, drop-the-mic, dare I say 'best ever' Fudgiest Brownies. Until I tasted these brownies, I was convinced the Sluttiest Brownies and the Decadent Chocolate Brownies were the two best ever brownies in the universe. But there is a new 'brownie' in town, one so incredibly scrumptious and out of this world fudgy, that my brownie allegiance has now shifted. And maybe six months or years down the road another brownie will rock my world. But then again maybe not as it would take something rather extraordinary to make me abandon my newly pledged loyalty to the Fudgiest Brownies.

As you begin planning your summer gatherings and barbecues, I am here to try and convince you that a batch or two of these Fudgy Brownies will firmly establish you as being the best ever, most legendary host/hostess. Especially amongst your friends who have a deep fondness for chocolate.

Considering there is only one and a half cups of dark or semi-sweet chocolate (chip) and some instant espresso (to ramp up the chocolate flavor), you might find it hard to believe these brownies could have such an intense chocolate flavor. But we can thank the butter, sugar, vanilla, relatively small amount of flour, Kosher salt, and half dozen large eggs for creating the most ethereally textured, incredibly scrumptious brownies. For the absolute best results I recommend you weigh out your ingredients and use a good quality dark or semisweet chocolate. Because there are only nine 'won't break the bank' ingredients in these Fudgy Brownies, quality matters.

The entire brownie batter is made in the same heavy bottomed pan used to melt the butter, chocolate and sugar. Key to not scrambling the eggs is to allow the melted butter/chocolate/sugar mixture to rest off the heat for at least 15 minutes. Eggs are whisked in one at a time, followed by the vanilla.

The all-purpose flour, Kosher salt, and instant espresso are the last three ingredients to get mixed in. As far as brownie batters go, this one is on the thicker side.

Here are a few more keys to success when making these Fudgy Brownies. First, the pan must be 9" x 9" and metal. The pan size helps to create a thick, luscious brownie. Do not be tempted to make them in a larger pan. Second, the pan must be lined with parchment paper. You will not get sixteen beautiful, perfect brownies out of the pan if you pour the batter into an unlined pan. The brownies bake in a preheated 300 degree (F) oven for 55-65 minutes. When done, the brownies will have a slight jiggle in the center of the pan. Unless your oven runs hot, I would recommend testing for doneness at the 55 minute mark. If you underbake the brownies they will be too fudgy to cut. If you overbake, they will be dry. Having said that, err on the side of cooking slightly longer (unless your oven runs hot, then your brownies might be done at 55 minutes. Note: If your brownies don't jiggle the least bit in the center, you have overbaked them.

The baked brownies cool for 60 minutes before they are covered and finish chilling in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. The firmer the brownies, the easier they are to cut. My personal preference is to serve these brownies slightly chilled. Note: If, by chance, you have any leftover brownies, wrap well and store in the refrigerator. They will be good for several days.

I lightly sprinkled the brownies with flaky sea salt before they went to the oven and again after they had cooled. 

If this is to be your 'living your best life' summer, then it definitely needs to include these sinfully rich, decadent Fudgy Brownies. When baking brownies, nothing comes close to ones homemade from scratch. And I mean nothing. Not all the doctoring up in the world will create a truly great, epic brownie. And these Fudgy Brownies are truly epic. Put a platter of these brownies out at a gathering and they are destined to disappear. So make certain you hide one to savor after everyone leaves.

Recipe

Fudgiest Brownies

Makes 16 decadent, very fudgy brownies

Ingredients

17 Tablespoons (240g) unsalted butter (e.g., 2 sticks plus 1 Tablespoon)

1 1/2 cups (240g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (at least 53% cacao)

2 1/2 cups (500g) granulated sugar

6 large eggs

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla

2/3 cup (100g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon instant espresso

Flaky sea salt for finishing (highly recommend Maldon Flaky Sea Salt)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F). Line a 9" x 9" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a heavy bottomed medium sized saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate. When melted add in the sugar. Stir until blended (mixture will look grainy). Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes.

3. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time until well blended.

4. Whisk in vanilla.

5. Whisk in the flour, Kosher salt, and instant espresso until blended.

6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.

7. Place baking pan on a metal baking sheet. Insert in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 55-65 minutes, rotating the tray midway through the baking process.

8. When done, the brownies will  be slightly puffed on the edges but still a bit wobbly in the center (you want it to be this way). Check for doneness at the 55 minute mark as all ovens vary.

9. Remove brownies from the oven, place on a cooling rack and let rest for 60 minutes.

10. Cover the brownies with aluminum foil and chill for at least 3 hours.

11. If needed, sprinkle on more flaky sea salt. Cut into 16 squares and serve chilled or slightly chilled.

12. Store covered in the refrigerator. Keep any leftovers covered and stored in the refrigerator.

Notes: (1) Inspired by Gaby Dalkin's Best Ever Brownie Recipe. (2) Use only a metal baking pan to make these brownies. (3) Nestle makes great dark chocolate chips (53% cacao).

Cherry Blossoms, Door County, Wisconsin (May 2022)

Cherry Almond Strudel

In a little less than a week I am headed up to Door County (Wisconsin) for a couple of days. Partly for a much needed little getaway, but mostly because it's cherry blossom season. Orchards with rows and rows of cherry trees in full bloom in hues of whites and pinks are absolutely breathtaking. Besides doing some hiking, I will be endlessly wandering around the orchards taking as many photographs as possible. Just as there is no such thing as having too many photos of mountain landscapes, sunrises, sunsets, or aspen trees in the fall, one can never ever have enough photos of cherry blossoms. But for the record, this will only my second 'cherry blossom' trip up to Door County. And more than likely it won't be the last one.

While cherry season here in the midwest is several months away, this easy, unfussy Cherry Almond Strudel can be made year round using the best jar of cherry preserves you can find (see notes). By definition, a strudel is a type of cake made from fruit that is wrapped in a thin layer of pastry, baked to golden perfection, and finished with a generous dusting of confectionary (icing) sugar. With a history going back to the 17th century, the Austrians have laid claim to having created these mouthwatering confections. One of the defining characteristics of an authentic strudel is the almost paper-thin, slightly transparent dough. However, the availability of store-bought (frozen, then thawed) phyllo dough or puff pastry creates a 'strudel-like' buttery rich, crisp pastry without having to invest any time in the labor intensive process of making an authentic strudel dough. In other words, I am taking some liberty calling this, just as gorgeous, equally scrumptious, Cherry Almond Strudel a strudel. 

Almost everything about this flaky layered Cherry Almond Strudel epitomizes the concept of a strudel. Which is why I am not shying away from calling this equally drool worthy puff pastry version a strudel. 

Being able to create a confection rivaling almost anything store bought using readily accessible ingredients is actually pure genius. While this recipe uses cherry jam preserves, you could easily substitute them with your favorite peach, blueberry or apple preserves. However, if like me, you love all things cherry, you might want to consider sticking with the cherry jam/preserves the first time you make this strudel. And yes, I say first time, because this is the kind of pastry you might be putting into regular rotation. Especially for those of you who frequently have friends and/or family over for a weekend gathering or brunch. 

The cream cheese and jam/preserve fillings are very similar to the one used in the Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Pastry. However, I have changed the ingredients amounts. And instead of rolling out a sheet of my favorite DuFour puff pastry, I used the two sheets of puff pastry from the Pepperidge Farm package as it had some benefits (cost being one of them). In addition to not having to roll out the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, the two sheets (slightly overlapped), easily created the necessary 17" x 10" sheet base. Note: Assemble your pastry sheet on a large, rimmed, heavy bottomed, parchment paper lined baking sheet before spreading on the fillings.

After spreading the fillings down a 2 1/2"-3" center of the puff pastry (leaving at least an inch at the top and bottom of the pastry), you will make eight or nine 1" diagonal/angled cuts on the pastry. Starting at the top of the strudel, fold over the top piece gently folding over the fruit, then begin by gently alternating folding over each of the pastry strips over the filling to create a criss-cross pattern. As long as the pastry strips covers the filling, you are good! When you get to the end fold up the bottom piece of pastry and press down with your fingers (or use a fork) to seal the ends (you will do that for the top of the strudel as well). Try as best as you can to have each pastry piece overlap the one above it. If you have too may gaps in your pastry, the filling will ooze out (trust me, I learned that lesson).

Generously brush the strudel with an egg wash and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Place the baking pan in the refrigerator and let it chill for 20-30 minutes. Bake the strudel for 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees (F) or until it's a deep golden brown. You want your baked pastry layers to be crispy, not soft. So err on the side of baking longer without burning your strudel.

If some of your filling oozes out from the strudel, don't panic. As the strudel cools you can scrape it away. Carefully transfer the cleaned up, cooled strudel to a platter and generously sprinkle with confectionary sugar. It's then ready to be devoured immediately or, if left uncovered, will still be good for several hours.

When serving, cut the strudel into thick slices. About1 1/2" to 2" in thickness. You should be able to get 8-9 slices.

Served on a beautiful large platter or cutting board, this buttery, crispy, melt in your mouth Cherry Almond Strudel makes for an impressive presentation. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if anyone asked what bakery it came from. Even your friends who had previously enjoyed some authentic strudel in Vienna will be shockingly surprised at how scrumptious this unfussy version is. This Cherry Almond Strudel is definitely one of those pastries proving why it's always a good, or rather I should say, why it's always a great idea to have a few boxes of puff pastry in your freezer. 

Recipe

Cherry Almond Strudel

Serves at least 8

Ingredients

1 package (17.3 oz/490g) puff pastry, thawed

4 ounces (114g) cream cheese, slightly softened

1 cup (120g) confectionary sugar, sifted (plus more for dusting the baked strudel)

Zest from half of a lemon

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup (138g) good quality cherry jam or preserves (or use a good quality blueberry, apple, or peach jam/preserve)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 large egg

1 Tablespoon milk (or water)

1/4 cup (23g) almond slices

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, confectionary sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice until creamy. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the cherry jam and cornstarch. Set aside.

3. Line a large, heavy bottomed, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll the puff pastry and place the two sheets, overlapping about 2 inches on the baking sheet. Press the seams together using your fingers. Cut away the pastry handing over the edge of the pan. You should end up with a sheet of pastry approximately 18" x 10".

4. Spoon the cream cheese mixture down the center of the pastry to a width of somewhere between 2 1/2" and 3". Leaving at least an inch open at the top and bottom.

5. Spoon the cherry jam mixture over the top of the cream cheese mixture.

6. Use a sharp knife to cut diagonal incisions into the pastry stopping short of the filling. Cuts should be spaced out about 1" apart. You will end up with 8-9 flaps of pastry.

7. Fold the top of the pastry over the filling and then gently pull over each flap of pastry over the fruit. Alternating between the right and light sides in order to create a criss-cross pattern. Try keeping the open spaces between flaps to a minimum.

8. When you get to the end, fold the bottom pastry over and press down with your fingers or use a fork (I liked using a fork to seal both ends).

9. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Liberally brush over the over pastry. Sprinkle the almonds over the egg washed pastry. 

10. Place the baking pan in the refrigerator and chill for 20-30 minutes.

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

12. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator, place in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until beautifully golden brown. Check your pastry at the 45 minute mark. More than likely it will need to continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes. Remember, you want your pastry to be a deep golden color.

13. Remove from the oven and let cool.

14. Transfer the pastry to serving platter or large cutting board. Generously dust with confectionary sugar.

Notes: (1) I used Stonewall Kitchen's Bada Bing Cherry Jam for the filling. It's seriously good. But if you can't find it, then use a good quality jar of cherry jam or preserves from your favorite orchard. (2) For this recipe I used Pepperidge Farm's puff pastry and had great results! (3) Some of your filling may ooze from the pastry onto the parchment paper. Do not worry. Just scrape it away before transferring the baked strudel to a serving platter. The generous dusting of the confectionary sugar hides any imperfections!

Lemon Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies

My only source of Vitamin D in the past forty something days came from a bottle of vitamins. The lack of sunshine combined with gray, windy, rainy weather for what seemed like an eternity was beginning to take a toll on my spirit. While most of us can live without something for awhile, it's extended absence can take its' toll, whether we will admit that to ourselves or not. While there isn't any replacement for the delirium that comes with waking up to a blue sky, sun-filled day, these Lemon Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies definitely bring a significant amount of joy. If there was ever a cookie to bring a bit of virtual 'sunshine' to the day, it would be these. From the crispy, slightly chewy, with a hint of lemony goodness sugar cookie, to the luscious, creamy, tart lemon cream cheese and butter icing, everything about this cookie is nothing short of drop-the-mic, dreamy deliciousness.

What is not to love about the tart, refreshing flavor only a freshly squeezed or zested lemon can impart? Whether a freshly squeezed lemon is added to a cocktail or to a cookie, its' flavor makes everything more endearing and enchanting. Even those of us who are self-proclaimed chocoholics find it hard to resist almost anything made with fresh lemons.

The subtly flavored lemon sugar cookie and the creamy, lemony icing each on their own are mouthwatering delicious. But when combined into a single bite its' nothing short of a heavenly cookie eating experiences. Lemon lovers will be doing backflips eating these cookies. 

The Lemon Iced Lemon Sugar Cookie is both crispy and chewy (the cookie loses some of its' crispness when wrapped in cellophane bags or stored in an airtight container, but it doesn't lose any flavor). The use of confectionary and granulated sugar in the cookie dough brings the right amount of sweetness to the cookie, but the confectionary sugar gives it a more tender, chewy texture while helping to give the baked cookie a bumpy textured finish. White granulated sugar is the ingredient giving the cookie some crispness.The sour cream helps to create a richer cake-like cookie while the oil is yet another component helping to make for a chewy cookie. Both lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice go into the cookie dough but the lemon flavor is not overwhelming. Remember, there is never a replacement for freshly squeezed lemon juice. In other words, never ever buy a bottle of lemon juice unless it's a bottle of key lime juice to use in making a Key Lime Pie.

The dough comes together easily using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Unlike most sugar cookie recipes, this one benefits from a short period (30 minutes) of rest and chill time in the refrigerator. Rather than first chilling the dough, then scooping it out, I highly recommend scooping first, chilling second. If you don't have a large ice cream scoop, make balls of dough made up of three tablespoons. The yield on these cookies is 11. One short of a dozen. 

After ten minutes of baking time, the cookies are removed from the oven while an approximately 2 1/2 inch bottomed glass presses down into them. This helps to create those beautiful ruffled like edges and a ridged well for the icing. Once pressed down, the cookies return to the oven for another 5-6 minutes of baking time. The cookies are done when they are lightly browned on the bottom. Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking tray before cooling completely to room temperature on a cooling rack.

For the smoothest lemon icing, sift the confectionary sugar before blending all of the icing ingredients together using either a hand mixer or standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Before generously dolloping and spreading the icing on each cookie, dust the edges of the cookie with some additional confectionary sugar. Note: When making the icing, I used half of the zest from a lemon to blend into the icing and the other half to sprinkle over the tops of the iced cookies.

These are gorgeous, impressive bakery-style cookies. Large, beautiful Lemon Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies like these are destined to impress even the most sweet tooth discerning friends. Even the chocolate loving ones.

Needless to say, these Lemon Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies proved themselves to be the next best thing to a sunny, blue sky day. From their spot on flavor to their texture to their beauty contest winning look, they are some of the dreamiest, most irresistible cookies ever to come out of my kitchen. They would be ideal served with a cup of your favorite tea or coffee. But I would happily eat them all on their own. I hope you love them as much as I do.

Recipe

Lemon Iced Lemon Sugar Cookies

Make 11 beautiful, bakery style cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

3 1/2 cups (448g) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (65g) confectionary sugar

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 Tablespoons (36g) sour cream

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest from one medium sized lemon

Icing

4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, room temperature

4 ounces (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest from one medium sized lemon (divided)

2 1/2 cups (325g) confectionary sugar, sifted (plus more for dusting the baked cookies)

Directions

Cookies

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and Kosher salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, confectionary sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes). Scrape down the bowl before adding the remaining ingredients

3. Turning the mixer speed to low, slowly add in the oil until blended.

4. Add in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest. Beat until well blended.

5. Add the dry ingredients in three additions. Dough will have a thick consistency.

6. Using a large ice cream scoop, create 11 balls of dough. Alternately create balls of dough with three tablespoons of dough. Place dough balls on a tray. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two large heavy bottomed baking sheets with parchment paper.

8. Baking one sheet pan at a time, place 6 (then 5) balls of chilled dough on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, turning the pan midway through the baking process.

9. Remove the tray of cookies from the oven, press down using a 2 1/2" glass bottom or metal measuring cup to flatten the center of the cookies to about 1/2" of thickness. Note: You should have crinkled edges after pressing down the dough balls.

10. Return the cookie tray back to the oven and continue baking for additional 5-6 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven. If the center of the cookies has risen, press down lightly with the glass to you have an observable well (for the icing). Let cool on the baking tray for at least 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Note for a crispier, less chewy cookie, the second baking time might range from 5-7 minutes.

11. Bake the second tray of cookies accordingly.

12. When completely cool, dust the edges of the cooled cookies with confectionary sugar.

Icing

1. Using either a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter.

2. Mix in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, half of the zest, and Kosher salt.

3. In two or three additions, beat in the sifted confectionary sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy.

4. Use a medium sized ice cream scoop or tablespoon to place a generous dollop of the icing in the center of each cookie. Use an offset spatula to spread the icing, but leave the ruffled edges exposed. Note: Use all of the icing on the 11 cookies. You want there to be a thick layer of icing on each cookie.

5. Top each cookie with the remaining lemon zest.

6. Arrange cookies on a platter (do not stack) and enjoy!

Notes: (1) For the best results possible, weigh your ingredients! (2) I used a 128g to 1 cup ratio when measuring the all-purpose flour.

Lilacs in bloom, Lilacia Park, Lombard, Illinois (May 2022)