Lemon Almond Cornmeal Diamonds
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Author Notes: Loving citrus as I do, I prefer it not as a whisper, but as a robust brightness. In looking for a way to achieve that without the use of lemon oil, I developed this technique of pureeing sugar with lemon zest until wet. In addition, I prefer cookies that are moist and have some texture. This recipe, inspired by the work of Betty Fussell and Carol Field, makes cookies that are grainy with cornmeal and ground almonds,very lemony and unusually moist for a cornmeal shortbread type cookie. - LE BEC FIN
Food52 Review: These coarse cookies are crumbly and moist at the same time. The bright lemony flavor is complemented by the almond extract, a favorite around these parts. Grinding the lemon zest with the sugar really enhances the citrus flavor. These are easy to throw together and take no time to cook -- our diamonds were finished cooking in 20 minutes. We liked these so much we finished them off right after they cooled. - A&M
Makes 1 9 inch square pan
- 1 cup unskinned raw almonds, ground fine and divided in half
- 1/4 cup grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup finely ground fresh yellow cornmeal *
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces and frozen
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons white sugar for topping
- 1/2 cup reserved ground almonds for topping
- 4 ounces raw pine nuts
- Butter or Pam 1 9" square metal pan.
- In small processor, grind 1/2 cup sugar with lemon zest, scraping down the sides a few times, until pureed and wet but not soupy( This method really extracts a lot of lemon flavor.)
- Into a standard food processor, combine the ½ cup of almonds, flour, cornmeal and salt. Pulse twice to combine. Add butter. Pulse until butter is pea sized, as if making piecrust.
- Combine eggs through almond extract, add to processor along with sugar lemon zest mixture, and pulse til barely mixed. Press into pan, smoothing top with graduated cake spatula.
- Score mixture lightly into 2 inch tall diamonds, and put a pine nut in the center of each diamond, pressing down to adhere. For topping, combine 1/2 cup ground almonds with 2 Tablespoons of sugar, and mix well. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the pan. Press down to adhere.
- Bake 350 degrees F, 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean. Cool , chill til firm, and cut into diamonds. (If you try cutting before it chills, mixture will crumble.)
- * Fresh bulk yellow cornmeal or packaged organic cornmeal is far preferable in flavor to prepackaged supermarket cornmeal.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Citrus Recipe
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about 1 month ago PRST
Please explain the grated lemon zest. It took me 8 lemons, jested with a microplane grater, to get 1/4 cup of lemon zest. Am I on the correct path? I certainly did not pack the zest.....
about 1 month ago LE BEC FIN
I'm sorry; for some reason i didn't get this in my email. Each lemon only gave you 1/2 T when you used a microplane? that is surprising. I may have used a hand-pull zester(the ones with the line of little holes) when i created this; i'm not sure. Did you make them? how did they turn out?
6 months ago LE BEC FIN
ulna,
yes, absolutely can omit the pine nuts; they are just decorative. Use an almond sliver instead!And yes, double or triple no problem.And a jelly roll pan is fine because they are very shallow.
6 months ago Sadassa_Ulna
Two questions: one, do you think the pine nuts can be omitted? And, do you think this could be doubled and baked in a jelly roll pan? Thanks!
about 1 year ago BoulderGalinTokyo
These were really wonderful- full of lemon's brightness! You Rock!
about 1 year ago LE BEC FIN
so glad they worked for you! saw your canned seafood recipes just now- boy you sure do continue to push the envelope there!! hey, plse let me know what you think of my inari recipe i just entered!
best,
mindy
over 1 year ago EmilyC
Oh my, these are awesome! I made them this morning for a dinner party tonight, and I just ate two straight from the pan. Cook's taste, right? I love the texture and the bright lemony flavor. I'm going to serve them alongside my orange sherbet (http://food52.com/recipes... wait for dessert! Thanks for posting a recipe I'm sure to make again and again.
over 1 year ago LE BEC FIN
emily, you def made my day! heck, after feeling TOTALLY bummed yestday after hours of flailing and failing w / " the vodka pie crust "( ref my Hotline question), I'd say you helped considerably to restore my self confidence, so thank you!
p.s. you know what might be neat if you decide to do them again with your sherbet? add some thyme to them>>the herbal note of one of the 2 citrus- might help add a different dimension to their pairing.
about 1 year ago EmilyC
I like the thyme idea! I've enjoyed leftovers for my 'second breakfast' two days in a row now...they keep beautifully.
over 1 year ago gingerroot
These are wonderful! I made and brought them to a gnocchi making lesson and lunch today. They were the perfect ending to a simple but amazing meal. Everyone enjoyed them and many asked for the recipe. Thank you for the recipe, LBF!
over 1 year ago LE BEC FIN
wow, ginger, you just made my day! i am new to 52 and just learning the 'habits of the site' so to speak. (as in: my other 6 recipes for this citrus contest got a max of maybe 30 hits, but because this was a CP, it's had nearly 400 hits so far !)For me, the whole reason to post recipes is so others will try them and hopefully use them and spread the joy. And you're the first (non staff) 52er to try one of mine; so I am 'wicked psyched' as we say here in MA.!!thanks so much for sharing your experience w/ the recipe.
btw, i lived in Honolulu in 1969 for my senior yr of high school. hoping to visit again some winter.
Hanama Bay; what a trip!
over 1 year ago creamtea
Congrats, LBF! Lovely recipe!
over 1 year ago EmilyC
Oh yum -- I'm definitely making these, hopefully very soon!
over 1 year ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Great recipe! These are on my list of things to try!
over 1 year ago Midge
Love the sound of these!