Lemon Meringue Thumbprint Cookies
shared by Jennifer
Details:
-
PT30M
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes PT30M
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes PT1H
- Total Time: 1 Hour
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Serves: 2 dozen
- Cuisine: American
In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Bring the mixt
For The Curd
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest plus 1/3 cup juice (about 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions:
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.
- Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
- Bring the mixture just to a simmer over medium, stirring constantly, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve (use a rubber spatula to help work the curd through).
- Add the butter to the strained curd and stir to combine. Let the curd cool completely.
For The Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
Directions:
- Position the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and lemon zest and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
- Scoop the dough in 1-tablespoon mounds onto the prepared sheets. Roll in between your palms to make perfect rounds, then roll them in sugar and put them back on the sheets at least 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies until just puffed, about 6 minutes.
- Remove them from the oven and, using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, make a small well in the center of each cookie. Rotate the sheets and return them to the oven and bake until set and light golden, about 8 minutes more. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
- Stir the cooled curd to loosen it. Scoop about 1/2 teaspoon of curd into the well in each cookie
For the Meringue
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
- Bring some water to a very low simmer in a small saucepan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar and egg whites. Set the egg whites over the saucepan; make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk the mixture until the sugar is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Rub a bit between your thumb and forefinger to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat the mixture on high until stiff glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
- Arrange all of the filled cookies on an unlined baking sheet.
- Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip. Just off the center, top each cookie with a meringue swirl.
- Preheat the broiler and broil the cookies until the meringue is toasted and golden brown, rotating the baking sheet as needed. Alternatively, you can use a small kitchen torch to lightly brown each of the meringue tops.