Lemon Sables and Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing all my readers a very Happy Valentine's Day in advance!  I am killing two birds with one stone here by incorporating one of my Chinese New Year cookies into a Valentine's day cookie!  I am posting this early just in case someone might want to make this for his/her valentine.

Sables is a classic French's butter cookies originating in Normandy France.  The texture is crisp, sandy and crumbly with the fragrant of butter.  For my lemon sables, it is fragrant with lemon of course but it still has the buttery taste in it.  I think it looks sweet for Valentine's day, what do you think?

* I am also submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover* 

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Key Lime Sables with some changes.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar/powder sugar/icing sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 12 Tbsps (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure lemon extract
• Zest of 1 whole lemon.  (Reserve the fresh lemon juice for lemon icing glaze)

Lemon Icing Glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 tsp. freshly squeeze lemon juice
• 1 drop of red food coloring

Method:

1.  In your food processor, add flour, powder sugar, granulated sugar and salt.  Pulse until combined.  Add in cut butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form.  Add lemon extract and lemon zest and pulse until a dough is formed.

2.  Tear a piece of cling wrap and place on the counter top.  Pour the dough on it and use your hands to shape it into a disk.  Wrap with the cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until harden.

3.  Line  your baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll your dough and cut with a cookie cutter.  Use a scraper to scoop up the cookie and place on the parchment paper as the dough would be soft.  Finish the rest.

4.  Preheat oven to 325'F and bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden.  Transfer to cool completely on wire rack.

5.  At the meantime, prepare the lemon glaze.  In a bowl, add in powder sugar and lemon juice.  Use a whisk to whisk until combine.  Add a drop of red food coloring and whisk until well blended.  Let it rest for a little while the cookies cooled.  As I found it easier to spread when the icing is slightly harden.

6.  Use a teaspoon to glaze the cookie top with the icing and place on the wire rack to harden.  Transfer to keep in an air-tight container when the glaze is completely harden.