Classic Lemon Shortbread Food

LEMON SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in lemon zest and juice.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
• Halve dough, and shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Bake until pale golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-12-1/2-inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment, then butter the paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined; do not overwork.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then use your hands to press and flatten the dough into a smooth even layer. Remove the plastic and cut the dough with a sharp knife into approximately 1-by-3-inch bars. Use a fork to prick a decorative pattern into the tops.
• Bake, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until golden, 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in the pan, then re-cut the bars along the previous cuts. Carefully lift the bars off the parchment with a small spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

LEMON SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Press 1 dough half onto bottom of each of two 8-inch-diameter cake pans. Pierce dough all over with fork.
• Bake until cooked through and pale golden, about 40 minutes. Cool shortbread in pans on racks 5 minutes. Cut each warm shortbread in pan into 12 wedges. Cool completely. Using spatula, carefully transfer to platter. (Can be made up to 4 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD 101

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
• Butter a 10-inch round springform or cake pan. Using plastic wrap, press dough evenly into pan. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes.
• Cut dough into 8 wedges with a paring knife. Using a wooden skewer, prick all over at 1/4-inch intervals.
• Bake until golden brown and firm in center, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Recut shortbread into wedges; let cool completely in pan. Can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment mix together softened butter with zest of 2 lemons making sure to scrape down sides halfway through mixing.
• Mix granulated sugar with butter just until combined and then mix in lemon extract.
• Sift together flour and salt. With stand mixer turned off, add all of the flour mixture and mix on the lowest speed until dough just comes together, about 2 mins.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 mins.
• Preheat oven to 350℉. Zest 3rd lemon and mix with sparkling sugar.
• Roll chilled dough into 1/2 inch thickness and form into a rectangle as best as possible. Using a sharp knife cut cookies into 1 inch by 3 inch rectangles.
• Using a spatula place cookies on 2 ungreased cookie sheets. Evenly sprinkle each cookie with sparkling sugar mixture.
• Bake for 20-25 mins or until corners turn a light golden brown, making sure to turn cookie trays halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on cookie sheets.

LEMON BARS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 or an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust by creaming the butter with a hand or a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment) until smooth. Add powdered sugar, flour, and salt and mix slowly until the mixture is crumbly but sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 13 minutes, or until it just starts to get a light golden brown around the edges.
• While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs until beaten. Whisk in the sugar, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust, then continue to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer liquid in the center and it's lightly golden brown on top.
• Cool completely before removing from pan. Remove foil, then dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve, dusting with more powdered sugar as desired.

CLASSIC LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, making sure to leave some overhang for easy removal, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt.
• Cube the butter into smaller pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter (or your hands) cut the butter into the mixture until it's crumbly and starts to come together.
• Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press it down into one even layer.
• Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-25 minutes, or just until the top is set and edges are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling. Keep oven temperature at 350°F (177°C).
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and flour. Add in the eggs and lemon juice and mix until fully combined. Pour the lemon filling over the warm crust and return to the oven.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the lemon filling is set and no longer jiggles.
• Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely for 1-2 hours, then cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least two hours. Sift powdered sugar on top, slice into bars, and enjoy!

CLASSIC LEMON SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Beat butter until fluffy in a large bowl.
• Beat in sugar, egg, lemon extract and lemon rind.
• Combine flour, cornmeal and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, mixing well.
• Shape dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. (Can also freeze at this point. Frozen dough keeps for 3 months).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
• Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Bake on greased cookie sheets until cookie just begin to brown at the edges, about ten minutes.
• Remove from pan and cool on wire racks.
• For glaze, beat butter, confectioner's sugar and lemon juice to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Next, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme and mix again. Finally, add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and flatten into a 1" disk. If the dough is sticky, wrap and chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm but still pliable.
• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼" thick. If desired, you can roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Use 2" cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Keep any extra cut-out cookies in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.