Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• •Microplane or fine grater
• •Sharp knife
• •Two rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper

Instructions

1. 1

   Zest the lemons

   Use a microplane or the fine holes of a box grater to remove only the bright yellow outer layer of the lemon peel. Stop the moment you see white pith. That bitter layer will ruin your cookies. You want two tablespoons of fragrant yellow zest, which takes about two large lemons. Set aside.

   Room temperature lemons release their oils more readily. Roll them firmly against the counter before zesting to loosen the essential oils.
2. 2

   Cream butter and sugars

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cold cubed butter, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. The butter should be smooth but still cool to the touch. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, mixing just until incorporated. Your kitchen will smell like a lemon grove.

   Cold butter creates the tender, sandy texture that defines good shortbread. Room temperature butter makes a tougher cookie.
3. 3

   Add dry ingredients

   Whisk together the flour, salt, and poppy seeds in a separate bowl. Add this mixture to the butter in two additions, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears. Do not overwork. The dough will look shaggy and seem like it needs more mixing. It doesn't. Stop when you no longer see dry flour.

4. 4

   Shape the dough

   Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and gently press it together into a cohesive mass. Divide in half. Roll each half into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, using the pressure of your palms to create an even cylinder. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper. Refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes or overnight.

5. 5

   Slice and arrange

   Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one log from the refrigerator and use a sharp knife to slice into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. If the dough crumbles at the edges, it's too cold. Let it warm for five minutes and try again. Arrange rounds on prepared sheets with one inch between them. These cookies spread very little.

   A sharp, thin blade produces clean cuts. A dull knife will compress the dough and distort your rounds.
6. 6

   Bake until barely golden

   Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Watch carefully during the final minutes. The cookies are done when the edges turn the palest gold and the centers look dry but not brown. Pull them too soon and they'll be doughy. Too late and they lose their delicate flavor. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. Shortbread firms as it cools.

Chef Tips

• •Quality butter makes or breaks shortbread. Use the best you can find. European-style butter with higher fat content produces an even more tender result.
• •Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to two weeks. These cookies actually improve after a day or two as the flavors meld.
• •For gift giving, stack cookies in a clear cellophane bag tied with twine. They travel well and look beautiful without fussy packaging.
• •The unbaked dough logs freeze beautifully for up to three months. Slice and bake directly from frozen, adding two minutes to the baking time. Fresh cookies whenever you want them.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough logs can be refrigerated for up to 5 days before slicing and baking.
• •Freeze unbaked dough logs, wrapped tightly in plastic then foil, for up to 3 months. Slice while frozen and bake with 2 additional minutes.
• •Baked cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks, or frozen for 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 22g)