LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH ICING RECIPES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Lightly butter the foil and sides of the pan.
• Pulse the sugar with the lemon zest and rosemary in a food processor until well combined. Remove 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture and reserve.
• Add the butter, salt and vanilla to the food processor with the sugar and pulse until combined. Add the flour, about 1 cup at a time, pulsing to combine after each addition. (After the last addition, you may need to stir and scrape down the sides of the food processor to incorporate all of the flour.) Continue to pulse until a dough comes together.
• Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking pan and press it evenly into the pan. Poke the dough all over with a fork and sprinkle it with the reserved sugar.
• Bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is golden, about 25 minutes. As soon as it's out of the oven, use a bench scraper or knife to cut the shortbread into 1-by-3-inch cookies. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the cookies using the foil as handles. Cool completely on a rack.
• For the icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Whisk in 1 tablespoon water or more for the desired thickness.
• Drizzle the icing over the cookies and allow to set, or serve the icing alongside to dip or drizzle upon serving.

Steps:

• For the posset, place the double cream and the sugar into a large pan over a low heat and bring to the boil slowly. Boil for three minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Add the lemon juice and zest and whisk well.
• Pour the lemon cream mixture into six large serving glasses and refrigerate for three hours.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.
• For the shortbread, sift the icing sugar, flour and cornflour together into a bowl and add the ground almonds.
• Transfer the flour mixture to a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until there are no visible lumps of butter.
• Add the almond essence. Pulse again, then turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together to form a smooth dough.
• Grease a muffin tray with butter.
• Divide the dough up and roll into small balls. Place the balls into the muffin cups, flattening the tops slightly with your fingers. The dough should come about one third of the way up the side of each muffin cup to give a nice proportion to the finished biscuit.
• Transfer to the oven and bake the shortbreads for 8-12 minutes, until they are a light golden colour.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then, using your thumb, make a small indentation into the top of each biscuit.
• Let the shortbreads cool for a few minutes, then turn the mould over and tap the shortbreads out. (Be gentle, as the biscuits are fragile while they are still warm.)
• When all the shortbreads are baked and cooled, dust the tops with icing sugar. Fill the indentations in the biscuits with lemon curd.
• To serve, place the lemon possets onto plates with a shortbread alongside. Sprinkle a little lemon zest on top, if you want.