Lemon Rosemary Cremes
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 45 min + 30-60 minutes chilling time + assembly |
| Cook time | 12-14 min @ 350° |
| Source | Cynthia Baxter, published in Star Tribune |
| Yield / serves | ~2 dozen |
| Rating | Delicious |
Note: This dough must be prepared in advance.
Ingredients
For rosemary brown sugar:
- 3/4 c. lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large fresh rosemary sprig
For cookies:
- 2 c. flour, plus more for rolling dough
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
- Fresh small rosemary leaves, for garnish
For lemon creme:
- 2 c. sifted powdered sugar, plus more as needed
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 c. mascarpone cheese
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
Preparation
To prepare rosemary brown sugar: Gently roll rosemary sprig between your hands or under a rolling pin to release its fragrance. In a small bowl or jar, bury the rosemary in the brown sugar, cover tightly and let sit at room temperature for 24 to 72 hours; the longer it sits, the deeper the flavor. When ready to bake, discard rosemary sprig from brown sugar and reserve brown sugar.
To prepare cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder, and reserve.
In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and 1/2 cup lightly packed rosemary brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add lemon zest and 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary and mix until just incorporated. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate until slightly firm, about 30 to 60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured work surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a small cookie cutter to cut dough and place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, gathering up scraps, rerolling and cutting until all dough is used.
For half of the cookies, lightly brush the tops with water (leaving the other half of the cookies plain). Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup rosemary brown sugar on the water-brushed cookies and then garnish with small rosemary leaves. Bake until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare lemon creme: In the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons butter, mascarpone and lemon juice, and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix until creme is smooth and creamy, adjusting with powdered sugar or lemon juice to achieve desired consistency.
To assemble cookies: Spoon or pipe a dollop of lemon creme into the center of the bottom side of a plain cookie. Top with a rosemary-topped cookie, as if making a sandwich, and gently press cookies together until filling spreads evenly to about 1/16th-inch from edge. Repeat until all cookies form sandwiches.
