It's been seven weeks since my last post. Coincidentally, I started a new job seven weeks ago. I wonder if these two facts are related. (Sigh)
I have been cooking during this busy time, although I had not felt truly inspired until my wonderful sister-in-law Morgan sent me a gift. I received a cookie cookbook. I don't have a cookbook that is strictly devoted to cookies. I have lots of on baking, but not on cookies. Morgan sent me "The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe From Each Year, 1941-2009." It has fantastic pictures and great anecdotes about each cookie. This past Thursday I made Lemon Thins -- the best cookie of 1979. They are glorious, and simple to prepare and bake. Thin and light, they make you feel like you are not eating something wrong, though you clearly are because these lovelies are full of sugar and butter and eggs. Yum.
Lemon Thins
2 eggs (room temperature, leave eggs out on kitchen counter for 90 minutes prior to use)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon zest
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup all purpose flour
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a little non-stick baking spray.
Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla with hand mixer for 5 minutes, no less. Then stir in lemon zest. In separate bowl beat butter with hand mixer for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Then fold butter and flour in increments into egg mixture. Once incorporated, drop 1 spoonful (about teaspoon) of batter on lined baking sheet. This cookie dough is more like cake batter.
Bake for 5-6 minutes. Once the edges are browned slightly, pull out. Let cool for a minute on baking sheet, then move to a cooking rack.
Makes 2 1/2 - 3 dozen cookies depending on how much batter you eat along the way.
I plan to bake cookies from this book the rest of December. If you are not a cookie lover, I apologize. I'll have a different theme in January when I start blaming my dryer for shrinking my clothes.
