Lemon Sunflowers

By norsegal8

For me, these snappy, crisp, flower-shaped cookies flavored with caramel, lemon and butter are irresistible. Caramelized sugar fills the cookie centers to give a stained glass effect.

Ingredients

• CARAMELIZED SUGAR
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• DOUGH
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Caramelize Sugar: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set near the stove. In a 1 ½-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, melt the sugar, stirring occasionally. Wash down any crystals clinging to the sides with a brush dipped in cold water. When the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium-high and cook the melted sugar without stirring until it becomes amber in color; about 8 minutes. Pour the bubbling syrup onto the foil. Cool until firm, about 1 hour.

2. Dough: Sift the flour with the baking powder on a sheet of waxed paper; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add the egg, yolk and lemon zest just until well combined and slightly fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Lower the speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until thoroughly combined.

3. Divide the dough in half. Roll each portion of dough between sheets of waxed paper to form a circle 11 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Stack the circles on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days; or freeze, well wrapped for up to 1 month.

4. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Break the caramelized sugar into pieces. Put the pieces into a food processor and pulverize into golden powder crystals; set aside.

6. Remove one dough package at a time from the refrigerator. Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper, replace it loosely on top , and flip the entire package over. Peel off and discard the second sheet of waxed paper.

7. Using a 1 ½-inch scalloped round cutter, cut out the cookies and space them ½ inch apart on the cookie sheets. Using the narrow end of a ½-inch plain decorating tip as a cutter, cut out a hole from the center of each cookie. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the sugar crystals into each hole and lightly pat in place.

8. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 10 minutes, or until the edges are a delicate brown and the sugar crystals are shiny and have melted to their original amber color. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet until the caramelized sugar is firm.

9. Stack in an airtight container, separating the layers with strips of waxed paper to prevent rattling and sticking and store at room temperature.