Alpha Bakers: Lemon Jammies

I made this on Valentine's Day, which feels like a long time ago and it really has. 10 weeks ago!

Yes I baked ahead and I made full recipe! But in this case it is okay because it's author-sanctioned bake-ahead. Earlier this year Rose asked me if I can help test 7 cookie recipes for high altitude adjustment. So I did. And this is one of the cookies I tested. The only high altitude adjustment for this recipe is add 10 grams of egg whites.

These cookies came together easily and quickly and I enjoyed rolling them out. I used a Linzer cookie cutter set that I got a long time ago from Home Goods. They are Easter themed and really cute. Instead of just reusing the cut-outs butterfly, baby duck, and baby chickens, I used a little dab of water to attach them to the corner of the cookie. It made for a cuter effect.

I also made the lemon neoclassic buttercream recipe. My best highlight of making this is it was the first time I used Meyer Lemon. Oh my goodness! I've never actually tried it before, mostly because I never really needed lemon when they are in season. I only needed 1 lemon and bought 7! I used 1 lemon for this recipe and made the rest into Meyer Lemon Curd and freeze it. It's still in my freezer btw, waiting to be used.

I only made 1/2 recipe of it though since I only plan on using it for a few cookies for the photos. I didn't really feel like making buttercream but I did because of the testing. I felt a little silly afterwards because the testing is supposed to be for the cookie dough, not for the buttercream so I could have just used jam or lemon curd and not having to go through the trouble of making a buttercream. To add even more sillyness, I botched my first buttercream, it curdled terrible and I could not save it. So I had to make it again. The second time it worked. I used a few tablespoon for half a dozen cookies in the photo and I stored the rest of the buttercream in the refrigerator. I tried to use this buttercream for when we made Lemon Posset Shortcakes back in February and well, you know the story there in my post. In summary: I beat it when it was too cold so it curdled, couldn't bring it to room temperature fast enough because it was a cold day, I grew impatient, and eventually end up piping it, curdled and all, around the little posset cakes.

Step by step photos:

Zest meyer lemon.

Butter and superfine sugar ready to be creamed!!!

Mix eggs and vanilla lightly in a bowl.

Creamed goodies.

Add egg mixture.

After the second egg mixture addition.

After the flour addition.

 Buttercream! Heat up water, sugar, and corn syrup.

Egg yolk and butter.

Yummy-nesss. I love this with the meyer lemon.

Alpha Bakers is a group of bakers who are baking through The Baking Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum's latest cookbook. Come check out the rest of the group at Rose's Alpha Bakers.

Click here for a full listing of all the recipes we are baking.