It's such a comfort

In my life, baking is so therapeutic. Always. In my roughest seasons baking has been there for me, and in the days when it took all I had to put one foot in front of the other, I knew that flour, sugar and butter would make sense. My favorite line in the movie Julie & Julia speaks right to my soul:

"I love that after a day when nothing is sure, and when I say 'nothing' I mean nothing, you can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. It's such a comfort."

Preach it.

That's why this week, after a long, long couple of days, when I found this little recipe for lemon crisps, I knew what my afternoon would hold. What better to refresh the spirit than a little lemon cookie?

Not much, I'd say. I was house-sitting this week and, unfortunately, the day when I made these I had no camera with me to document the process. (Which is a shame. My friend has a motherload of gorgeous and unique dishes and serving trays I could have impressed you with.) However, I would be shocked if someone needed to consult a photo step-by-step for these. They're so, so simple to make... add ingredients; then stir. And they look so happy sitting there on the cooling rack.

Crisp Lemon Cookies

Adapted from Taste of Home

• 1-1/3 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup vanilla or white chips, melted 

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl (I was using a Kitchenaid mixer) cream the butter and confectioner's sugar until light and fluffy. It will basically look like frosting. Then beat in the lemon juice, the lemon peel and the vanilla. Take a little taste because it's already delicious, then gradually add the flour and mix well. (And I speak from experience, take heed of the word "gradually". Otherwise be prepared to do a load of laundry.)  

 

Spoon out little pieces of the dough and shape into little 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Coat the bottom of a glass with cooking spray, then dip into some sugar. Flatten the cookies with the glass, making sure they're not TOO thin. 

Revel in how little effort you've put forth so far, and then stick these bad boys in the oven. Let them bake for about 11-13 minutes or until the edges start to brown. If you want them to be chewier instead of crispy, take them out around 9 or 10 minutes. Then let them cool! My recipe instructed me to drizzle with white chocolate or vanilla chips. I just kind of dolloped it on there. I personally have had a lifelong battle with melting white chocolate. It's my baking nemesis. So instead of trying to get it to perfect drizzle consistency I just spooned it on and am calling it a ganache. 

Voila!

So now I have way too many little lemon cookies in a house that has only one girl. But I'm really not complaining. I'm so looking forward to having this blog with these girls who share this obsession with all things that mix, rise, plump and turn golden. I've been longing to know how to make all the wonderful things my grandmother has made for years. Pies, tortes, breads... and I'm excited to share it with everyone. Here's to comforts!

~Bri