Cookies
1 T. finely grated lemon peel
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
3 3/4 c. unbleached flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
Note: It is important to use fresh lemon peel and juice in this recipe.
Using a sharp potato peeler, carefully peel the yellow part only from the lemon rind. Mince it on a cutting board or use a miniature food processer with 1/8 t. sugar added. Boil lemon juice and peel in a small saucepan until it’s reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 4 minutes. Cool in refrigerator.
With electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then add egg yolks and do the same. Beat in cooled lemon juice mixture. Add flour, salt, and baking soda, mixing it before blending into the butter mixture. Cover dough and chill at least four hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough on a floured surface to a scant 1/4 inch thick. Using a 1-inch round cutter (or other small cutter you prefer), cut out the cookies and put them on the baking sheets. Bake until barely golden at the edges, 10-12 minutes. Do not let them get brown. Cool 5 minutes, transfer to racks, and cool completely.
Filling
1 1/2 T. finely grated lemon peel
1/8 t. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 c. (packed) powdered sugar
1 T. lemon juice, more or less as needed for the filling
Peel lemon with potato peeler and mince with the salt in a miniature food processor. Beat with butter in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until no discernable hunks of butter remain. Thin with lemon juice a teaspoon at a time, if needed. Immediately fill the cookies with about 1 teaspoon filling per cookie. The filling will set up a little, so if you want to use more, that’s OK.
Yield: 2-4 dozen, depending on the size of the cookie, if you don’t eat the dough.
Note: The filling would make a very lemony and tangy cake frosting.
Adapted from: “Bon Appetit,” January, 2009
(https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Cream-Sandwich-Cookies-351029)