Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Lemon Polenta Cookies

cookie gun

It's been quite a while since I last used my cookie press so when I saw this recipe for Polenta cookies in Bake It I thought they might be the perfect excuse to bring it out of the cupboard.

The polenta in these cookies puts them on the crunchy side rather than the soft and chewy but they do make a good companion for tea or coffee.

cookie stack

Lemon Polenta Cookies

125 grams softened butter, cut into small dice
80 grams caster sugar
finely grated zest from 1 lemon (I used some of the candied Buddha's fingers)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
165 grams plain flour, sifted
80 grams polenta

Place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a food processor and process until light and creamy. Add the eggs and process until smooth. Add the flour and polenta and pulse until it forms a sticky dough.

If you don't have a cookie press you can use a piping bag fitted with a 2cm/¾ inch star nozzle to form the cookies.

Bake in a 180°C/350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie) until golden. Cool on the trays for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

cookie bowl

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20 comments

  1. I have never used a cookie presser, Hallo - it seems to work really well!

    The cookies are adorable, I love the shape you chose. And lemon and polenta... perfect!

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  2. Those cookies make me want to rush out and get a cookie press, they're adorable!

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  3. AnonymousJune 19, 2007

    Awesome! I'm lovin' your polenta themed recipes. I've never seen, much less used a cookie presser. I'll have to look for one. In the meantime, can I used a simple cookie cutter?

    Paz

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  4. I've also never seen nor heard of a cookie press before. But from the look of your perfectly sculpted biscuits I'd say it's obviously a good tool to have around the kitchen.

    Once again a photo that can't fail to impress, Haalo. You know which one I'm talking about. I honestly can't remember looking at a photo on your blog and not thinking wow, just how does she do that? Sublime!

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  5. congratulations on the cookie-press. i am sure i would buy one if i'd ever see one in a shop. i am so bad with kitchen gadges. one more wont harm, right? - your polenta cookies look wonderful. oh, look at these darlings. make me wanna eat one right of the screen.

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  6. Such pretty cookies! Cookies made with a cookie press reminds me of my childhood days. A cookie press is on my wish list. My mum has one which she hasn't used for many years, so maybe I can just "borrow" hers...for a loooong time. ;-)

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  7. Thanks Patricia - i'm finding it hard going past polenta these days. The press comes with a large selection of discs that change the shapes of the cookies - once you get the dough to the right consistency, they are a breeze to make.

    Thanks Brilynn - the cookie press brigade welcomes your arrival!

    Thanks Paz - the dough is too soft you wouldn't be able to roll it to use a cookie cutter. I suppose you could experiment with increasing the flour/polenta - or just roll tablespoons of the dough into balls and cook them that way.

    Thanks Trig - you are most generous in your praise. The cookie press or cookie gun has been around for ages and we use it alot to make italian biscuits, that's how we get all those perfect shapes.

    Thanks Myriam - if you are like me, a cookie press will soon find it's way into your kitchen by the end of the week!

    Thanks Nora - my mother has one too but I had to resort to getting my own, there's some things she won't share even with me!

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  8. My mother has a cookie presser. I think I might borrow it from her so I can make your delicious cookies.

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  9. Haalo, these cookies just look amazing. I am going to sneak out this morning and hunt myself down a cookie press. Any tips you could share for those of us (hopefully) new to cookie presses?!

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  10. Hi Haalo! Your Lemon Polenta cookies look delish. You've just reminded me that I have a long forgotten cookie press- Guess it's time to dig it out from my cupboard! I love the grainy texture of polenta in cookies. Yummy!

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  11. You must "borrow" the cookie press Rose - there's a world of beautiful buttery cookies to me made with it.

    Thanks Emma - one of the biggest things I found is that you can't press the cookies onto baking paper, you need to do it straight onto the baking trays, so I make sure to use good non-stick trays. Best thing is if you make a mistake and the cookie hasn't come out correctly you can just scrape it up and do it again!

    Thanks Carol - why do we banish our cookie press to the back of cupboards? Now that it's out I'll have to make some more cookies ;)

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  12. Oh Haalo, how lovely! I think the time has come for me to "liberate" mo mom's old cookie press... I remember helping her bake with it in the 1970s and being totally fascinated by it and loving the dainty cookies you can make. These are definitely on my "to do" list once I liberate the press!

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  13. Thanks Jeanne - you must free the cookie press by hook or by crook ;)

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  14. Haalo these are such gorgeous little biscuits.

    Two points you make about the cookies press are right.
    One is that the mixture must be soft enough to press through whichever patterned plate you have on the press.
    The other thing is that you don't want to try to use parchment paper..they just won't stick.LOL
    I've learned the hard way:):)

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  15. Thanks Karen - I learnt about baking paper the first time I used the press, I thought I was doing something wrong - but once I pressed them straight onto the tray it was perfect.

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  16. Hi Haalo, your cookies were the reason i got myself a cookie press today, and the first batch is in the oven right now - i cannot wait to taste them! I am so glad i found your blog...!! Thanks!

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  17. Thanks Karin - I hope you enjoy the press and the cookies!

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  18. WOW super easy and I loved the zesty smell of the dough! Hmmm
    Now I am a simple kind of girl and the idea of a cookie press was quite foreign to me (although intriguing) and I was without a piping bag so I squirted the mixture through a self made hole, cut into the corner or a zip-lock plastic bag. I made quite small “doggy poo” shaped biscuits and then flattened them and patterned them with a fork.
    They are cooling now and I am dreaming of frosting them with a passionfruit cream.

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  19. Thanks Charlotte - never thought of frosting them, may have to try that next time!

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  20. I have a cookie press that my parents gave me recently - we used it often as kids usually making ginger biscuits with my Mum. I tried it with this recipe but I only managed to get 4 pretty shaped cookies out of it before it went pear-shaped! I gave up and just used a spoon! Still yummy and am now going to ask my mum HOW to use the cookie press properly!

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