Lemon Hazelnut Spritz Recipes

HAZELNUT SPRITZ

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. A plain baking sheet need not be greased.
• Put the nuts into the food processor and grind them until very fine. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until light. Add the ground nuts and flour. Mix until smooth. Put the dough into a cookie press with a star or ridged tip and press into long, narrow strips. Cut into 4-inch pieces. Shape the strips into rings and place on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 minutes, just until lightly browned. Slide baked cookies on the parchment off the baking sheet onto the countertop to cool, or place onto a wire rack to cool.
• While the cookies bake, combine the chocolate chips and cream in a small glass bowl. Microwave at high power 1 minute at a time, or place over simmering water, stirring until melted. Dip cooled cookies in the chocolate so that ends are coated by 1/2 inch. Place on the parchment or on waxed paper to harden.

LEMON CREAM CHEESE SPRITZ

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat shortening and cream cheese until blended. Add sugar; beat until creamy. Beat in egg yolk, lemon extract and peel. Combine the flour and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture., Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 9-12 minutes or until set (do not brown). Remove to wire racks to cool. Decorate as desired.

LEMON HAZELNUT SQUARES

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil; butter foil. Mix flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and nuts and blend until fine meal forms. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake until light brown around edges, about 18 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare filling:
• Blend first 6 ingredients in processor.
• Pour filling onto hot crust. Bake until filling begins to brown at edges and is just springy to touch, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.
• Lift foil and dessert from pan. Gently peel foil from edges. Cut dessert into 16 squares. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly; chill.) Sift powdered sugar over squares; serve at room temperature.

LEMON SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add flour and salt gradually until dough is combined.
• Shape dough into small logs; place a log into a cookie press and press out onto ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough logs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes.

LEMON-HAZELNUT BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring, and add the wine, 3 tablespoons of the hazelnut liqueur and all the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and cook about 5 minutes or until reduced to 4 tablespoons.
• Gradually add the remaining 1/2 pound butter, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. When thickened remove the sauce from the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of liqueur, salt and pepper.
• Put the hazelnuts into the container of a food processor or electric blender and blend as finely as possible. Add to the sauce.

MEYER-LEMON AND HAZELNUT TART

Steps:

• Crust:Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt; pulse to combine. Add egg white and butter and process until dough comes together. Transfer 2/3 cup dough to the bottom of a 9-inch fluted tart pan. With an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread and press in an even layer. Press remaining 1/3 cup dough firmly up sides of pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Blind-bake crust: Remove from freezer and prick all over with the tines of a fork. Bake until golden brown and dry, 20 to 25 minutes (if browning too quickly, tent edges with foil). Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. The tart shell can be baked up to two days ahead; store at room temperature.
• Filling:Place 2 teaspoons cold water in a small bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, yolks, and salt. Add butter, place pan over medium heat, and cook, whisking, until butter is melted. Continue to cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and small bubbles form around edge of pan, 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and whisk in gelatin mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, then pour into cooled crust. Refrigerate until filling has set, at least 2 hours.
• Meringue:Whisk together egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place over (but not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is warm to the touch and no longer feels grainy when rubbed between two fingers. Transfer bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and beat 1 minute more. Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (such as Ateco #808). Pipe large rounds around perimeter of tart. Brulee meringue with a kitchen torch, if desired. Serve.

LEMON-BUTTER SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough 1 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar. , Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges.