LEMON COOKIES WITH FILLING RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add flour and mix well. , Divide dough in half and shape each half into a 14-in. roll; reshape each roll into a 14x1-1/8x1-1/8-in. block. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. , Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle half the cookies with nuts, gently pressing into dough. , Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, cream the butter, lemon juice and orange zest until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until smooth. Tint yellow if desired. Spread about 1 teaspoon filling on bottoms of the plain cookies; place nut-topped cookies over filling.

Steps:

• In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute longer; remove from heat.
• Stir in butter and lemon peel until butter is melted. Gradually stir in lemon juice and food color. Press plastic wrap on filling to prevent a tough layer from forming on top. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set.
• Leftover filling can be tightly covered and refrigerated up to 5 days; do not freeze. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to soften; stir before using. Store cakes or pastries filled with Lemon Filling covered in refrigerator.