Delicate Delights - Lemon Thins

These pretty little turquoise bowls were gifted to me for my birthday (well, ahem, yesterday) – and they immediately beckoned to be filled with delicate delights.  Artisan handmade chocolates would have been a good choice but, personally, I prefer small, delicate cookie teatime treats. So, I decided that my homemade Lemon Thins would be just the perfect cookies – as they are delicious and pretty and small and have a pronounced tart lemon taste (which I absolutely adore in baked goods) as well as a delighful crisp texture.

My Lemon Thins get their zippy flavor from fresh lemon zest and juice. Perfect. But, of course, you could opt for orange, blood orange or grapefruit flavor here as well. For now, the market is flooded with bright, yellow lemons and so a batch of Lemon Thins it was.

Lemon Thins

Ingredients
(yields 28 to 32)

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g superfine baking (caster) sugar
• 300g AP flour
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg (L), organic or free range
• grated zest of 1 organic lemon
• juice of ½ lemon

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 150C° (300°F).
2. Line a baking sheet or two with baking parchment.
3. Put the butter and all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, working it into a crumb.
4. Add the egg, lemon zest and juice.
5. Mix all together very well, kneading lightly to a smooth dough.
6. Divide the dough in half and form into two rolls.
7. Wrap the dough logs in food wrap or wax paper.
8. Refrigerate the rolls until firm. NOTE: chilling cookie dough for just 30 minutes makes a big difference.
9. Slice thin discs from one end of the log, laying each disc 2 to 3cm or so apart on the baking parchment.
10. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly colored.
11. Transfer the cookies to cooling rack. NOTE: should there be too much dough, then the remainder freezes well.

This lemon cookie recipe would be the perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea, bowls of ice cream, stewed fruits, or any fresh seasonal fruit or berries.

Or enjoy them just as they are. Crisp. Clean. Lemony. And elegant. And perfect in these darling handcrafted serving bowls.