I went back to 'big, fat, cookies' and looked for something exciting and ended up at 'lemon whoopie pies'. After the first sandwich cookie I tried, we decided we both loved the concept, and I as had lemons on the kitchen counter, the choice was easily made.
For the cookies, you make a cake-like batter, you put heaped tablespoons onto parchment paper and bake them on cookie sheets. They spread a lot, but bake into nicely puffed sofr cookie saucers with a nice hint of lemon from the lemon rind. But the best part is definately the filling. Lemon juice, lemon rind, cream cheese, butter and sugar. I was sceptical because to me the recipe is 'american frosting', butter beaten with powdered sugar into a gritty mess, but this was nothing like it. There was a very nice balance between the sugar and the tangy lemon (and cream cheese) and just a perfect companion for the cookies. The filling is somewhat runny, and eating the cookie messy, but, after the first bite we didn't seem to care. Definately another winner from this book!
I'm editing this post to add the recipe, per RuthAnn's request :o).
For the Cookies:
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 ts baking powder
1/4 ts baking soda
1/4 ts salt
6 TBS unsalted butter, at room temp.
1 cup sugar
1 ts finely grated lemon zest
1 large egg
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 ts vanilla extract
1/2 cupe buttermilk (any fat content)
Filling:
6 TBS unsalted butter, at room temp.
6 oz cream cheese, at room temp.
1 ts vanilla extract
1 ts finely grated lemon zest
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar.
Make filling first, because it gets runny and needs to firm up in the fridge a little. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla, lemon zest and juice until thoroughly blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Put in the refrigerator until it is firmer, about 30 minutes.
Make cookies: Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. With an electric mixer, blend butter, sugar and zest until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla, mixing until blended, about 1 minute. The batter may look curdled. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate. Mix in buttermilk, followed by other half of flour mixture until it is incorporated and batter looks smooth again.
Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto buttered parchment paper on cookie sheets (I used silicone mats, unbuttered). Space cookies 3 inches apart, and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes. Tops will feel firm and a toothpick will come out clean. With the exception of a thin line or their edges, cookies will not brown. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 10 mintes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sandwich cookies, using 1/4 cupe of filling for each pair. Wrap cookies separately in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve cold.
Makes 8 sandwich cookies.
(Adapted from 'Big, fat cookies' by Elinor Klivans)
6 opmerkingen:
these look lovely, Helena. I'd love to see the recipe.
Yum, whoopie pies! Love it!
Hi KW and RW :o). I promiss I'm not ignoring the recipe request and will post it as soon as I have a minute at home. They really were great cookies, a nice change from the ordinary!
These look SO good! I love chocolate whoopie pies (very much a childhood treat for me), but the lemon ones sound right up my ally.
Tara, you should really try them :o). And while we're at it, do you have a recipe for chocolate whoopie pies? I never made those, nor do I remember seeing a recipe..
a much belated thank you thank you thank you!
kitchenwitch
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