Lemon Scones

These are the scones I decided to make for St. Patrick's Day breakfast and maybe dessert also. I made it easy on myself and used the food processor for almost this entire recipe. I mixed the sugar and the lemon zest in the food processor and then added the flour mixture to that. I even put the buttermilk into the blender to form the dough. It was much easier than I expected it to be. I made these scones fairly small. I decided to add the glaze to sweeten them up a bit. They are yummy good.

Lemon Scones

From Scones & Bones by Laura Childs

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup sugar

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes

3/4 cup buttermilk

¼ cup lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

½ cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

1 egg

Glaze:

1-1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Sift flour together with baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar, using a food processor or blender, grind it together. Add the sugar to the flour mixture and mix well. (I used the food processor for this.)

Cut butter into mixture until you get an even, crumbly consistency. Mix in nuts. Pour in the buttermilk and lemon juice and stir thoroughly until mixture forms dense dough.

Take a good-sized lump of dough and gently form into a triangular scone shape.

Place scone on a baking sheet lined with parchment, continue to form scones until mixture is used up.

Whisk an egg with 1 tablespoon of water juice to form egg wash, then brush egg wash on top of each scone.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes but check after 10 minutes (time depends on size of scones) or until golden brown.

Let scones cool then mix powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and paint each scone with glaze.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Lemon Risotto

This is a delicious tangy lemon risotto recipe from Rachael Ray.  I enjoyed it very much.  My husband is not as much of a lemon lover as I am but he did not complain.  As Rach says in her description it will make you "pucker up."

Lemon Risotto

By Rachael Ray

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 quart chicken stock

2 cups water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 small-medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

1 cup Arborino rice

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon (1/4 cup)

½ cup white wine

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 tablespoons slivered mint leaves

A handful basil tops, shredded or torn

Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1.      In a large pot, heat the stock and 2 cups water over medium-low heat.

2.     In a risotto pot or large skillet with rounded bottom, heat the EVOO over medium to medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté to soften, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the rice and add the zest of lemon.  Heat the rice a minute or two, then add the wine and cook to evaporate.  Add in the stock a few ladles at a time and stir for a minute with each addition of stock to develop the starch and creamy aspect.  Keep adding the stock each time pan starts to become dry at the edges.  The total cooking time will be 18 minutes or so.

3.     When the rice is cooked to al dente, stir in the butter, lemon juice, cheese and herbs.  Serve immediately.

 Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Lemon Butter Cookies

These cookies were a big hit at my house.  I am in favor of making "icebox" or "refrigerator" cookies for the simple reason that making them seems like less work.  You make the batter on one day and the next day or even several days later (if you freeze the dough) you bake them.  It is such a great plan.  I made three different kinds of cookies and it hardly seemed like any work at all.  The lemon butter flavor doesn't seem very Christmasy but they can add a unique dimension to your holiday cookie tray. I did not make any changes to this recipe.  It was perfect.  Just be careful about cutting them exactly 1/4 inches thick to get enough cookies, if you are making them for a cookie exchange.

Lemon Butter Cookies

These lemon cookies are icebox or refrigerator cookies. INGREDIENTS: * 3 cups all-purpose flour * 1/2 teaspoon baking soda * dash of salt * 1 1/2 cups sugar * 3/4 cup (6 ounces) butter, room temperature * 1 large egg * 1/4 cup lemon juice * 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel PREPARATION: In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together 1 cup of the sugar with the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, lemon juice and zest, then gradually blend in the flour mixture. Form the dough into 2 rolls about 2 inches wide and 7 inches long. Wrap the rolls in waxed paper and refrigerate until firm, about an hour. Preheat the oven to 375°. Unwrap the cookie dough and cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle slices lightly with remaining sugar and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on a rack and store in an airtight container. Makes about 5 to 6 dozen lemon icebox cookies. Enjoy!

Lemon Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake

This is a recipe that has been posted on at least 7 or 8 other cooking blogs that I found.  It was not always reviewed positively but for the most-part, people liked it.  Actually, there was only one blog post that said this cake was too sweet. It is really more like a sweet or dessert bread than a coffee cake.  I am thinking that this recipe would be perfect with cinnamon-sugar for the holidays.  I am not very experienced at baking with yeast so I found some ideas on how to help the dough rise.  One of the other bloggers put her dough on top of a heating pad which was an interesting idea.  I also saw one that said she heats her oven up a tiny bit (like set to 150 and then turn off 15 minutes before she is done making the dough so it's just warm) and let the dough rise in there.  The oven becomes a draft free, warm place.  Don't be scared off of making this recipe because it has a lot of steps.  Please don't be scared of using the yeast.  If I can do it, anyone can.  Really!  


I am amazed to say that my son absolutely loves this cake.  I have a feeling that I will be making it again and again and again.  


Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake

From Flo Brake

Baking for All Occasions

Makes a 9″x5″ pan

Sweet Yeast Dough:

About 2-3/4 cups (12-1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1-3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (2-1/2 fluid ounces) whole milk
2 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) water
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Lemon Sugar Filling:

1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (3 lemons)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

Tangy Cream Cheese Icing:

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup (1-1/4 ounces) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1.    In the microwave heat the butter and the milk together until the butter melts. Set aside to cool slightly. While it is cooling Mix two cups of the flour with the yeast and the sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Then add the water to the milk mixture and stir in the vanilla extract.

2.    Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixer and stir until combined. Turn the mixer on low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing each egg until it is combined. Add another ½ cup of the flour and the salt and mix till combined.

3.    Sprinkle the dough with 2 tbsp of flour and knead it with the dough hook for 3 minutes. The dough will be sticky but should become soft and smooth from the kneading.  Place the dough in a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

4.    Make Ahead Tip: If you want to make the dough the night before you bake it just gently deflate the dough after its first rise, place back in the bowl and cover it with plastic. Stick it in the fridge overnight (it will continue to rise, but at a much slower rate. Plus you get added flavor in the bread from the benefit of a slow, cold rise) The next day take the dough out and bring it to room temperature before proceeding with the next steps. I like to cover my dough with a damp piece of paper towel and stick it in my oven at the lowest temperature until it is room temp.

5.    Mix the sugar, lemon zest, and orange zest. It will draw out the citrus oils and make the sugar sandy and fragrant.

6.    Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9″x5″ loaf pan or spray it will baking spray

7.    Forming the loaf:  Deflate the dough with your hand. Flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 20″ by 12″ rectangle.  This part is a lot easier with a ruler on hand!  Use a pastry brush to thickly coat the dough with the melted butter.

8.    Use a pizza cutter, pastry cutter, or a sharp knife to cut the dough crosswise in five strips, each about 12″ by 4″ (it might not be this exact size, but try to make the five strips be equal sizes). Sprinkle 1-1/2 tablespoons of the lemon sugar over the first buttered rectangle and gently press the sugar in. Top it with a second rectangle, sprinkling that one with 1-1/2 tablespoons of lemon sugar as well. Continue to top with rectangles and sprinkle, so you have a stack of five 12″ by 4″ rectangles, all buttered and topped with lemon sugar.  

9.    Slice this new stack crosswise, through all five layers, into 6 equal rectangles (each should be 4″ by 2″.) Carefully transfer these strips of dough into the loaf pan, cut edges up, side by side. it might be a little roomy, but the bread will rise and expand after baking. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes.

10. Bake the loaf for 20 minutes and then check to make sure that top isn't browning too quickly. If it is, just cover the top of the loaf with tinfoil and continue baking. My loaf took a little over 40 minutes to bake completely. When done, transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

11. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth, then add the milk and lemon juice. Stir until creamy and smooth. Spread over the warm bread (you might want to put some plastic wrap or parchment paper under the bread to catch the drips).

12. Serve the coffee cake warm or at room temperature. To serve, you can pull apart the layers, or you can cut the cake into 1-inch-thick slices on a slight diagonal with a long, serrated knife. If you decide to cut the cake, don’t attempt to cut it until it is almost completely cool.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Lemon Muffins

Why am I posting a recipe for Tuscan Lemon Muffins when it is snowing outside??  Why, because the snow was unexpected.  We do not normally get snow in October.  In fact, we haven't gotten a snow storm this big since the Civil War.  That is over 100 years ago. Well, I was not in the mood for snow or snow-friendly recipes. So, I made Tuscan Lemon Muffins. I am still stuck in summer.  These muffins are tasty.  

Tuscan Lemon Muffins

YIELD: 12 servings (serving size: 1 muffin)

Ingredients:

7-9/10 ounces all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cups)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar

Preparation:

1.       Preheat oven to 375°.

2.       Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt); make a well in center. Combine ricotta and next 5 ingredients (through egg). Add ricotta mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

3.       Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups; coat with cooking spray. Divide batter among muffin cups. Sprinkle Turbinado sugar over batter. Bake at 375° for 16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

4.       Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Cooking Light, May 2011

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes

While we were in Montana, we ate breakfast twice at a place called The Rack Shack.  I ate the Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes which were fantastic.  The boys tried mine and when we went back they both ordered them.  I decided that I should try to make a version once we got home.  This is a recipe I found on the Williams-Sonoma website.  I think that they came out even better than the ones we ate at The Rack Shack if that is possible.  I suggest topping them with either blueberry, strawberry or raspberry sauce.  My son tried them with strawberry-rhubarb conserve from Harry & David's and said it was a great combination.  Either way, they are delicious.


Lemon-Ricotta Pancake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, milk, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice until smooth. Sift together the flour, baking powder and 1/8 tsp. of the salt over the ricotta mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.


In another large bowl, using a whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the remaining 1/8 tsp. salt and continue beating until soft peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the egg whites into the ricotta mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites.


Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Spray the griddle with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle 1/3 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and the pancakes are golden underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a warmed plate. Repeat with the remaining batter. Makes 12 to 14 pancakes.

Enjoy!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Lemon Ricotta Cookies without Glaze

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Giada's Glaze

Lemon Cookie with the plain Lemon Glaze

I made these cookies this morning.  They are a very soft and melt in your mouth kind of cookies.  The original glaze that Giada provides is very sour because of the lemon zest so I wound up scraping it off and making a very simple glaze with only powdered sugar and lemon juice.  I also added a touch of yellow food coloring to punch up the color.  They are a different choice for holiday cookies.  Since my son likes lemon, this is my first holiday cookie offering.  These cookies are very lemony so if you love lemon flavor then give these a try!

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Makes 44 Cookies

Ingredients


Cookies:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Glaze:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl, combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2 – teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.



Enjoy!

The Creative Cook