Feeling Citrusy

Chocolate is my first love when it comes to food, but lately I've been wanting citrusy sweets.  This week I made Lemon Squares and Coconut-Lime Butter Thins, both so good.  Just wanted to share the recipes with you.

Lemon Squares
from Lovestoeat's Weblog
Ingredients:
CRUST:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
FILLING:
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
TOPPING:
Confectioners sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven.  Grease an 8x8 inch pan.

For Crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the flour and salt and beat until the dough just comes together.  Press into the bottom of the pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack while you make the filling.

For Filling: In electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until nice and smooth.  Add the lemon juice and zest and stir to combine.  Fold in the flour.  Pour the filling over the shortbread crust and bake for 20 minutes or until set (it took mine an extra 3 minutes to set.)  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 

Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar.  Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a day or two. 

Coconut-Lime Butter Thins
Recipe by Dorie Greenspan found in Baking: From My Home to Yours
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of ground coriander
2/3 cup of sugar
grated zest of one lime
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts (salted is fine)

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and coriander. 

Put the sugar and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer and, with your fingers, work the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and the mixture is fragrant.  Add the butter and beat the butter, sugar, and zest on medium speed for about 3 minutes or until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients just disappear.  Add the coconut and nuts and pulse to incorporate them. 

Transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-sized ziplock bag.  Place the bag on a flat surface, and leaving the bag open, roll the dough into a 9x10 1/2 inch rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick.  Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Getting ready to bake: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Place the bag on a cutting board and slit the bag open.  Turn the dough out onto the board and cut into 32 squares, each 1 1/2 inches on each side.  Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, pushing gently through the cookies to the pan.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point.  The shortbreads will be very pale- they won't take on much color (unless you set the oven too hot like I did).  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. 

Comments

[Angie]

Yum, I am definitely going to try the Coconut-Lime Butter Thins, sounds like a fun recipe.