It’s my birthday today! The sun is shining and I couldn’t be happier. We have had many rainy days lately and it was beginning to wear on me. Reminding me of the long winters in Pennsylvania that I have never missed. Not today, however, because Mister Sun is high in the sky and Meyer lemons are in season.
A few rainy days ago I was chatting with my dear friend Mary about Meyer lemons. She was given an ornamental tree as a gift and it produced one glorious lemon. She was on the hunt for a special recipe where she could showcase her precious bounty. I wasn’t much help to her. I was drained of ideas and I had very little knowledge or experience with Meyer lemons. Not dissuaded, Mary set out on an internet search for a recipe. A day or two later, she arrived on my doorstep carrying a box of cookies. Meyer lemon butter cookies. These little jewels were so tasty, creamy yet light with a nice pop of citrus. I fell in love instantly. I later went to the grocery store where, low and behold, there was a stand of gorgeous golden Meyer lemons on sale. I scooped up a bunch and skipped through the check-out line wondering what I was going to do with them(Okay, I didn’t really “skip”).
Mary was kind enough to send me the link to the recipe she used. The recipe for Sablés au Citron from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan is the perfect butter cookie recipe. I perused many recipes online and none compared to this one. What’s not to love about a recipe that calls for, not one but, two sticks of butter? The recipe had all the right elements for me but it was still missing something. As Emeril says, I wanted to “kick it up a notch” (for the record, I’m not an Emeril fan). I thought of my herb garden and what was left out there: Italian parsley, thyme & rosemary. I thought, “Rosemary! That’s it!” Meyer Lemon & Rosemary Butter Cookies! How sexy does that sound? This revelation prompted another internet search. I do wish I could stay focused. I am so easily side-tracked and so I was on the internet for hours, reading and salivating over many recipes. I did learn, however, that Meyer lemons are thought to be a hybrid of lemons and Mandarin oranges, developed in China 100 years ago. They are less acidic than other lemons and sweeter too. Their color is that of an egg yolk, another reason to love them.
I tweaked the recipe a bit and decided on two teaspoons of chopped rosemary. Some folks used one teaspoon while others called for one tablespoon. I wanted the rosemary to pair with the lemon, not overwhelm it. Also, the Greenspan recipe only called for using the zest. That wasn’t enough for me. I stripped these gorgeous lemons of their zest, what about the sweet, tangy juice? I decided to add a couple teaspoons of the juice to the batter as well. Below is a photograph of the resulting cookies and the recipe with my adjustments. Some of the cookies came out browner than is ideal. You want little to no color. They browner cookies still taste fabulous, but they aren’t as pretty as the nude ones.
Meyer Lemon & Rosemary Butter Cookies
Meyer Lemon & Rosemary Butter Cookies
Adapted from Sablés au Citron recipe from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (measured then sifted)
2 large egg yolks, divided
pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp Meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3-4 tsp finely grated Meyer lemon zest (to taste)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
approximately 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until smooth, add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in 1 egg yolk, followed by salt, vanilla, juice and lemon zest.
On low speed, add the flour and rosemary and mix just until flour is incorporated.
Gather dough into a ball, divide in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
Form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill dough for 2 hours in refrigerator. (Dough logs can be wrapped airtight and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)
Preheat oven to 350F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or utilize a silicone mat or baking stone.
If you are coating your cookies with sugar, whisk the remaining egg yolk until it’s smooth and liquid enough to use as a glaze. Spread granulated sugar out on a piece of waxed paper. One log at a time, unwrap your chilled dough log and brush lightly with the egg yolk. Roll the log in sugar, pressing gently to help the sugar stick.
Slice each log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Place on baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch between the cookies.
Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes until they are set but not browned. (It’s okay if the yolk-sugar edges brown slightly.) Transfer cookies to cooling rack.
Yield: 50 cookies
Note: I didn’t do the yolk & sugar glaze. The resulting cookie is pretty, but who needs the extra sugar? Not I.
I just ate another cookie. They are “Slap yo Mama” good, really they are. Lemon and rosemary just go together like Sonny & Cher, Peaches & Herb, Tony Orlando & Dawn… good God, you’d think I was a child of the seventies.
Anyway… so then I had several Meyer lemons stripped of their zest. What to do with the juice? Then it hit me: cocktails! I brainstormed again and decided to make a rosemary simple syrup. 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of water and 4 5-inch stems of fresh rosemary, needles stripped from the stem and roughly chopped. Throw all three ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Cool. Strain into a Tupperware cup and refrigerate. You can use this syrup for cocktails or to flavor and sweeten homemade lemonade. Here’s what I did with it:
Winter Sunshine
1.5 ounce Bacardi Limon rum
Juice of half a Meyer lemon
a sprinkle of chopped rosemary
2 teaspoons rosemary simple syrup
Club soda
*crushed ice & a stemless wine glass (tumbler)
In the wine tumbler squeeze the lemon and drop it into the glass. Add the rosemary and the simple syrup and muddle until the lemon is juiced. Fill 2/3 with crushed ice. Add rum and top off with club soda. Give it a stir and voila!
I am sufficiently full of sunshine, fresh sweet & tangy lemons, and love and birthday wishes from my family and friends. It’s a great day.
Wow! What fantastic ways to combine the lemony taste of summer with a weather-hardy herb of winter. I am always looking for new ways to use the rosemary bush (aka overgrowth) in my backyard, and am looking forward to trying your cookie recipe with the next bounty from my meyer lemon tree!
Hey Mary,
Click on this link for a Lemon Ricotta cookie. I found this recipe on another food blog and they sound so yummy. What could make meyer lemon cookies better? Why ricotta cheese of course!
My aunt makes her own ricotta cheese – she tells me it’s easy – I may have to tackle that sometime soon!
http://myallrecipes.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/meyer-lemon-ricotta-cookies/
Funny you should mention cookies….it may be old news to some, but I just found a great use for the leftover 5 lb tub of Danish butter cookies my husband bought ( impulse purchase-DAMN lot of cookies. I just made mini cheesecakes using crushed butter cookies and (more) melted butter to make the crusts.
MINI CHEESECAKES FOR JANUARY!!!
I just saw this post, cuz. My hands-down favorite dessert is cheesecake – and the thought of a butter cookie crust has nearly sent me over the edge. Whoa. You rock!
Hey, call me crazy but how about tweaking your Pizzelle’s and making a meyer lemon, rosemary Pizzelle?. While shells are warm bend into a cannoli shell shape and then fill with cannoli cream. A meyer Lemon, Rosemary Cannoli – Just thinking about this almost made my head explode.
Dear Mama,
Mary’s Meyer Lemon came from me, her god mother, as a birthday present. I have had two Meyers, one at least ten years old and the other around three. Between them, they produced dozens of lemons this year. I am not exaggerating. I mail them to friends, give them to my hairdresser….I’d set up a stand, but it’s too cold.
Anyway, a friend who lives in Northern NewHampshire told me she freezes lemons. Takes them out as needed, pops them in microwave for a few seconds, and they are ready to squeeze. I’m considering that option with the remaining dozen or so lemons.
Carol, aka Mary’s God Mother
Hi Carol! I’ve heard so much about you! Thanks for visiting my blog. Your freezer tip is a good one & I’m going to try it with an over-abundance of oranges I have. Have you ever made lemon marmalade? I saw a few recipes online they sounded so tasty! Thanks again, Carol, for inspiring many with your sunny lemon gift.
HI So many good ideas for the Meyer lemon! Carol gave me a “twig” that she had rooted from one of her huge (and I mean huge) lemon trees. at least in pots. they are huge….I now have several “buds” and a few leaves and the good news is that in the North Country (Zone3) it is still alive.. Can’t wait to try the cookies.
On another note Do you have a recipe for brussel sprouts that goes in the oven? Thanks
Hi Mary, Thanks for visiting my blog. I’m so jealous that you have a “hand-me-down” Meyer lemon tree in the making. I hope you’ll try the cookies, you’ll love them, I promise!
As for the brussel sprouts, whenever I am at a loss for a recipe or for food ideas I typically go to http://www.chowhound.com. The message boards and their recipes are both helpful. I perused the message boards for you and found a couple of threads about brussel sprouts recipes. Here’s a link for you:
http://www.foodreference.com/html/brussels-sp-ba-0208.html
In reading the brussel sprouts threads, I noticed that a new way to cook them is to quarter OR thinly slice them – this way you get more even cooking. Then toss in olive oil, salt & pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven. Toss w/ crumbled bacon, a little balsamic vinegar and maybe even some grated parmagiano reggiano or romano cheese. Mmmmm.
I hope that’s helpful!
Lucky me! I have 9 Meyer lemons generously sent to me by Carol and stored in my freezer as Mary Donovan suggested. Both of these ladies are old friends of mine. We went to high school together. I was with Carol when she bought the first lemon tree at the Lyman Estate. These trees are indescribable, heavy with fruit and flowering at the same time! I have a bar cookie recipe also that was originally made with oranges, but is delicious with Meyer lemon.
Citrus Chocolate Bars
Mix together, by hand or Cuisinarts:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter
until the consistency of cornmeal
Add
1/4 cup powdered sugar, put through strainer for lumps
grated rind of 2 Meyer lemons
Press mixture into a greased 9″ square baking pan
Bake for 7 minutes at 350.
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Spread over hot crust and melt. You can put it back in the oven until they are fully melted and can be spread easily.
Beat together in bowl;
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. Meyer lemon juice
2 Tbsp. grated Meyer lemon rind
dash of allspice or nutmeg
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pour over baked crust
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until top is slightly puffed and browned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool and cut into squares.
Lucky you is right, Cynthia! The trees sounds so beautiful. And how great is it to have something so beautiful that, if you take care of it, gives back to you with flowers AND lemons. These citrus chocolate bars sound amazing!!!! I really want to try these. Thanks for sharing the recipe.