Recipe Three: Lemon and Pistachio Wreaths

To say lemon is one of my absolute favourite flavours ever in the entire history of the universe may be understating it a bit. 

Generally if its main flavour is lemon, I'll eat it.

If it doesnt have lemon in it...I usually add it...

Even in tiny amounts lemon gives food a really nice brightness that you just cant achieve otherwise...in my opinion anyhow.

So what makes this biscuit even better than being regular lemon is that under the tart glaze is a beautifully subtle lemon flavoured shortbread. This shortbread is made with almost 1 part wheat flour to 1 part corn flour which gives the biscuit amazingly light texture.
Add to this a sprinkle of lemons best complimentary flavour, Pistachio and your have one heavenly cookie.

Lemon and Pistachio Wreaths

1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon of Salt

1 cup of Plain Flour

3/4 of a cup of Corn Flour

1/2 a cup of caster/superfine Sugar

2 large Egg Yolks
115gms of Butter

The zest of 1 Lemon

2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

1 3/4 cups of icing/confectioners sugar

Milk

STEP ONE:

Put butter and sugar in a bowl and beat on medium/high until pale and fluffy.

STEP TWO:

Mix in yolks, lemon zest and vanilla.

STEP THREE:

In a separate bowl sift together flours, baking powder and salt.

STEP FOUR:

Gradually add your flour mix (I did 1/3 at a time) until all combined. It will look like sand...

STEP FIVE:

Add milk, a very small dash at a time to bring the mix together, once it starts to come together form it into a disk, wrap in clingfilm and place in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Part Two:

STEP ONE

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Roll our dough between two sheets of baking paper to 1/4-1/8" thickness.

Put that in the fridge until hard.
Once hard, working quickly, peel the top sheet off and cut and transfer raw cookies onto the sheet you just peeled off. (I found it easier to cut the holes in the middle once they were transferred)

STEP TWO:

Bake for 10-12minutes or until very, very place brown on the edge.

Transfer to a rack (or in my case chopping board) and cool completely.

STEP THREE:

These cookies are best glazed the day they will be eaten so that they keep their crunch.

If you're not serving them today pop them in an air tight container until tomorrow.

STEP FOUR:

Get your 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and add them to your icing/confectioners sugar.

Mix until you get a treacle like consistency with no lumps.

STEP FIVE:

Peel the purplish, flaky skin off of your pistachios.

I pour boling water over them and let them sit for a few minutes, this way they mostly slip right out.

Chop nice and finely.

STEP SIX:

Either dip or spread the tops of your wreaths with your lemon glaze.
Next sprinkle with pistachios and leave to set.

AND YOU'RE ALL DONE!
Put them on a pretty plate or package them up and they're ready to go..

xx