LEMON MERINGUE THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Makes about 50 cookies
Filled with a velvety Lemon Curd and topped with torched Meringue Kisses,
these cookies are bite-size versions of a lemon meringue pie.
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter*, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (134 grams) confectioners’ sugar
¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (2 grams) almond extract
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose fl our
Lemon Curd (recipe follows)
Meringue Kisses (recipe follows)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment
paper. - In the bowl of a stand mixer fi tted with the paddle attachment, beat
butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt at medium speed until fl uff y, 2 to
3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in almond extract.
Add fl our, beating until combined. - Shape dough into 1-inch balls (about 12 grams), and place 2 inches
apart on prepared pans. Using your thumb or a ¼ teaspoon, gently
make an indentation in center of each ball. - Bake until bottoms are golden brown, 11 to 13 minutes. Remove from
oven, and press down centers again. Let cool on pans for 10 minutes.
Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Assemble
just before serving. Spoon about ¾ teaspoon (about 6 grams) Lemon
Curd into center of each cookie. Top with Meringue Kisses. Serve
immediately.
*We used Président.
LEMON CURD
Makes about ⅔ cup
3 large egg yolks (56 grams)
⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (4 grams) lemon zest
¼ cup (60 grams) strained fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
- In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar,
and lemon zest and juice until combined. Add butter; cook over medium
heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and an instant-read
thermometer registers 170°F (77°C), about 12 minutes. (Do not boil.) - Immediately remove from heat. Strain curd through a fi ne-mesh
sieve into a small bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap
directly onto surface of curd. Let cool slightly. Refrigerate for at least
30 minutes.
MERINGUE KISSES
Makes about 200 miniature meringues*This recipe yields more than double what you’ll need for the Lemon Meringue
Thumbprints, so you’ll have plenty for snacking, too.3 large egg whites (90 grams), room temperature
¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon (1 gram) vanilla extract
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar- Preheat oven to 225°F (107°C). Line baking sheets with parchment
paper. - In the bowl of a stand mixer fi tted with the whisk attachment, beat
egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla at high speed until foamy, about
1 minute. Add sugar in a slow, steady stream, beating until glossy, soft
peaks form, about 3 minutes. - Spoon meringue into a large pastry bag fi tted with an open star tip
(Wilton #21 or #32). Pipe small stars (about ¾ inch) onto prepared pans.
If torching kisses to brown, lightly press down any pointed tips to prevent
burning. (See Note.) - Bake until fi rm and lightly browned, about 2 hours. Let cool
completely. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
*We piped very small stars to top our thumbprints. You’ll have more
meringues than you’ll need for the Lemon Meringue Thumbprints. If desired,
pipe or spoon larger (about 1½-inch) mounds to make meringue cookies. The
bake time will remain the same.Note: If desired, the tops of the baked and cooled kisses can be browned
with a kitchen torch. Just be sure to transfer them to an unlined baking sheet
before torching. •