Lemon Raspberry Gem Cookies Food

RASPBERRY LEMON THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.
• In a small bowl, combine the jam and Chambord. Stir to combine.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to blend.
• In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions and beat just until moist clumps form. Gather the dough together into a ball.
• Pinch off the dough to form 1-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Use your floured index finger or 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to create depressions in the center of each ball. Fill each indentation with nearly 1/2 teaspoon of the jam mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

LEMON RASPBERRY CAKE WITH LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter the paper.
• Combine the butter, granulated sugar, oil, lemon zest and vanilla together in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in, one at a time. Beat in the lemon juice.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake in the center of the oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges of the pans and invert onto racks to cool completely.
• For the frosting and filling: Beat the butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until very smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until incorporated and smooth. Separate 1 cup of the frosting to a bowl. Mix the jam into the cup of frosting.
• Spread the raspberry frosting on top of one cake layer. Arrange most of the raspberries on top (reserve 7 or 8 for the top of the cake). Carefully put the second cake layer on top. Take about 1 cup of the remaining plain frosting and use it to cover the entire cake in a thin, even layer (it is okay if it looks messy). Refrigerate the cake until the frosting is firm, about 20 minutes. Use the remaining frosting to evenly cover the cake. Mound the remaining raspberries in the center and serve.

SLICE 'N' BAKE LEMON GEMS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon zest. In another bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or until easy to handle., Shape into a 7-in.-long roll (about 1-3/4-in. diameter); roll in colored sugar. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 2-3 hours or until firm., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until set and edges are light brown. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, mix icing ingredients; spread over cookies. Let stand until set.

LEMON RASPBERRY COOKIE CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 36 mini muffin cups.
• Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest in a bowl. Rub sugar and lemon zest with your fingers until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add butter and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and beat well. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt until incorporated.
• Fill each mini muffin cup 3/4 full of dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Use a spoon to flatten any cookie cups that have risen over the rim of the tins. Make a well in the center of the warm cookie cups with your finger or a small spoon. Chill cookie cups, still in the tins, for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add lemon juice and zest. Beat in powdered sugar until frosting is fluffy.
• Remove cold cookie cups from the tins. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam into each one. Pipe frosting on top of the jam to cover it completely. Add a dot of raspberry jam to the center for a pretty presentation, if desired.

LEMON RASPBERRY CAKES

Steps:

• For the cakes: Grease 18 mini Bundt pan cavities with the baking spray.
• Prepare the cake mix with the vegetable oil, eggs and 1 cup water according to the package instructions. Divide the batter among the cavities of the mini Bundt pans. Bake until cooked through, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes, then flip them out of the pans.
• Make the icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk in a bowl until very thick but still pourable. Fold in the raspberry preserves.
• Pour a tablespoon of icing over each of the cakes, letting it drip down the sides. Zest the lemons over the cakes.

LITTLE GEM COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 3 ingredients using a food processor. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat the yolks with the vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture. Beat until completely blended. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place on the lined cookie sheet. Make indentation with thumb, fill the hole with preserves and press on a pecan half. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

LEMON-RASPBERRY GEM COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Beat butter and sugar until creamy.
• Add yolks, zest, juice, and vanilla. Beat well.
• Add the flour mixture and beat to combine well.
• Form tablespoon-sized balls of dough by rolling dough between your palms to form even spheres. Place on a baking sheet with room between (they will spread!) Press a finger into the top of each ball to make an indentation.
• Bake the cookies for 10 minutes.
• Place jam in a bowl and microwave until thinned and smooth (watch this - it wont' take long!).
• Remove the cookies from the oven. Use a teaspoon measuring spoon to make a crater in the middle of each puffed cookie. Use a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop warmed jam into the indentation.
• Return the cookies to the oven. Bake for 10 more minutes.
• Allow cookies to cool completely. When cool, dust with powdered sugar. Moisten one finger and gently touch the raspberry portion of each cookie to melt powdered sugar there.