(Family Features) It’s hard to top a brunch feast spent snacking on sweet treats in the sunshine with loved ones. At the center of your celebration can be a springtime tradition with nearly endless possibilities: eggs.
Lean into the season with creative recipes like Eggy Lemon Sandwich Cookies to take brunch to the next level. As a natural source of vitamins and minerals, eggs are a delicious protein powerhouse with just 70 calories per large egg. Boiled, scrambled, poached, baked and any other way you like them, they’re a kitchen superhero.
This spring, add eggs to your menu and explore fresh ways to celebrate the season at incredibleegg.org.
Eggy Lemon Sandwich Cookies
Recipe courtesy of the American Egg Board and “Joy the Baker”
Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Yield: 16-18 cookies
Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Lemon Curd:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1-2 tablespoons warm milk
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
To make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together shortening and butter until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add sugar and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
Add egg, milk, and vanilla extract; beat until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on low until dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure no dry pockets at the bottom. Wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 F.
Roll half of the dough on a lightly floured counter to 1/4-1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-3-inch egg cookie cutter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Use a 1-inch round or egg-shaped cookie cutter to cut yolk holes out of half the cookies. Bake 8-10 minutes until just golden around the edges. Cool completely before filling.
To make the lemon curd: In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, whisk juice, zest, sugar, and eggs. Stir in butter and cook over low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and bubbles appear on the surface, about 6 minutes.
Transfer lemon curd to bowl and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until cold, for at least 1 hour.
To make the buttercream: In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat butter until well softened. Add powdered sugar, salt, and lemon zest; beat on low. Add milk and whip to combine. Beat in poppy seeds. Transfer frosting to a zip-top bag with a corner cut off or piping bag with a medium round tip. Leave buttercream at room temperature until ready to pipe.
To assemble cookies: Flip each whole egg cookie so the bottoms are facing up. Pipe buttercream frosting around the edges. Spoon 2-3 teaspoons of lemon curd into the centers of the cookies. Top each with one cookie with a hole; press gently and spoon 1 teaspoon oflemon curd into the cookie hole.
Source: American Egg Board
