Description
Classic Australian Melting Moments cookies showcase delicate shortbread sandwiched with zesty lemon cream. Delightful pastry crumbles gracefully while citrus filling provides elegant contrast for sweet treats you will savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for topping)
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch (corn flour)
- ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
Instructions
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl until perfectly integrated, ensuring a smooth, even texture.
- Butter Transformation: Cream butter and powdered sugar using an electric mixer, whipping until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale, creating a cloud-like consistency.
- Dough Development: Introduce vanilla extract and gently incorporate dry ingredients, mixing until a unified dough forms without overworking the delicate mixture.
- Dough Preparation: Shape the dough into uniform cylindrical logs approximately one inch thick, carefully wrapping in plastic film to maintain shape and protect from external moisture.
- Chilling Process: Refrigerate dough logs for a minimum of one hour, allowing flavors to meld and dough to solidify, enhancing the cookies’ structural integrity.
- Baking Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, creating an optimal baking environment.
- Cookie Formation: Slice chilled dough into half-inch medallions, arranging them methodically on the prepared baking sheet with strategic spacing to ensure even baking.
- Final Chill and Bake: Return the cookie-laden sheet to the refrigerator for a brief 30-minute cooling, then transfer directly to the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until edges turn delicately golden.
- Cooling and Finishing: Let cookies rest completely on the baking sheet, then elegantly dust with powdered sugar or completely coat in a delicate white layer.
- Storage: Carefully transfer cookies to an airtight container, layering with wax paper to preserve their tender texture for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Chill for Perfection: Refrigerating the dough twice ensures crisp, well-defined cookies with enhanced flavor development and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- Gentle Mixing Matters: Avoid overmixing the dough to maintain a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that defines these delicate cookies.
- Watch the Baking Closely: Golden edges are the key indicator of perfectly baked Melting Moments; remove from oven promptly to prevent over-browning.
- Storage Secret: Use wax paper between layers when storing to keep cookies pristine and maintain their delicate, crumbly texture for up to two weeks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 22
- Calories: 129
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 0.1 mg
- Fat: 9.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.8 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg