Meyer Lemon Curd Linzer (Printer-friendly)
Delicate almond shortbread sandwiched with bright, tangy Meyer lemon curd for a fresh twist on the classic Austrian treat.
# What you'll need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup finely ground almonds or almond flour
03 - 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Meyer Lemon Curd
09 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
10 - 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 2 large egg yolks
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
14 - 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
→ Assembly
15 - Powdered sugar for dusting
# Method:
01 - Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and Meyer lemon juice in a heatproof bowl. Set over a simmering pot of water, creating a double boiler. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes, reaching 170-175°F. Remove from heat, whisk in butter and lemon zest until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until set.
02 - Cream butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture until dough forms. Divide dough in half, shape into two disks, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 2-inch diameter rounds. For half the cookies, cut a small heart or circle from the center to create windows. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool completely on baking sheets.
04 - Dust the windowed cookies generously with powdered sugar. Spread a small spoonful of chilled Meyer lemon curd on each solid bottom cookie. Gently press a windowed cookie on top to create sandwiches. Repeat with remaining cookies. Refrigerate briefly to allow filling to set before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The almond shortbread melts in your mouth while the Meyer lemon curd provides this incredible bright tang that keeps you reaching for just one more
- These cookies look like you spent hours in the kitchen, but the dough comes together quickly and the curd can be made days ahead
02 -
- Working with chilled dough is absolutely essential because warm dough will stick to everything and lose those clean cut edges
- The curd must be completely cold before filling, otherwise your beautiful windowed cookies will slide right off
03 -
- When cutting out the window shapes, save those tiny centers and bake them separately as bonus bites, perfect for snacking while the big cookies cool
- If you don't have Meyer lemons, use regular lemon juice but reduce the sugar in the curd by about 1 tablespoon to maintain that perfect sweet-tart balance