Thumbprint Cookies X 3 – Lemon Curd – Raspberry- Marmalade

I decided to try some thumbprint cookies, having never had them before.  I saw, from researching, that the cookie dough would be very short indeed, so would crumble at almost the slightest touch.  That appealed since I love a short biscuit.  For filling I decided to experiment, since I had some home-made lemon curd as well as some raspberry jam and a lovely orange and tangerine marmalade.

I am pleased to say that they all worked out very nicely, with the basic lemon flavoured cookie dough and the various fillings.  I think my personal favourite would be the lemon curd ones, but they all tasted very good.

The recipe is very simple too, and takes only a little time to put together.  Most of the time is actually rolling the dough into balls, then making and filling the holes. 

1/2 to 2/4 of a cup of filling is all that would be needed.  If using lemon curd I am sure that a good shop bought one would work very well.  I simply used what I had made, for another purpose, to use up some of what was left over. 

The number of cookies the recipe will make will depend on how large you roll the balls.  I used about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie, and made 27.

• 260 grams plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 225g softened unsalted butter
• 2 medium egg yolks(large in USA)
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon(about 5 grams)
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup of filling of choice(jam, preserves etc)

Method:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy(I used a stand mixer)
2. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix to combine.
3. Mix the salt into the flour and then add to the butter mixture and beat until just combine.
4. Refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes, to allow it to firm up and make it easier to work with.
5. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.  Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
6. Roll the dough into evenly sized balls, using about 1 tablespoon of dough each time, and place on the baking tray.
7. Using something like the handle of a wooden spoon, dipped in flour, make a hole in the top of the dough balls.
8. Fill each hole with the filling of choice
9. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies have turned a light golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.