Strawberry-Lime Sandwiches

May 12, 2012


Notice anything different?

Why yes, my blog is wearing something new! And I'd like to thank Steph Anne, of Yellow & Savvy, for designing the fabulous fresh, spring look. Up until now, I've always used premade templates (and I loved each and every one!), but I wanted something that was unique and crisp, and "mine." :-)

Seriously, If you're looking for an affordable blog makeover, I highly...highly, recommend Steph. She somehow managed to piece together a design from my scattered, indecisive mind. Sheer magic!

Thank you Steph! XO


To all the moms out there, Happy early Mother's Day!

Chocolate, olives, strawberries, basil, pears, and warm cups of milk and honey, always make me think of my mom.

And tomorrow, instead of my vintage lopsided chocolate cake, I'm going to make a batch of strawberry-filled, buttery, crumbly, basil-lime shortbread cookies.

(Not much has changed. Even as a baby, I was already worried about something...will that beet stain ever come off my favourite bib?)


I'll admit, these cookies were a bit of a hassle. The original recipe left the dough far too soft to be able to roll out, and I spent a good part of the afternoon scraping bits and pieces of it off the well-floured counter top.

After a few tweaks, the recipe finally came together, and I think these cookies may be right up at the top of my list of favourites. The cornstarch gives the cookie a softer, lighter, texture, while the lime and basil keep the flavour assertive and perky. [Next time, I would add a pinch more basil.] The filling is simple and flexible. If you would rather use raspberry, blueberry, or peach preserves, go for it! Lime is cordial, it gets along well with others.

Have a gorgeous, mom-lovin' weekend, everyone! ♥



Strawberry-Lime Sandwiches
yields about 18-20 sandwich cookies

for the cookies
1/2 cup almond flour
2/3 cup all-purposed flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Zest of 2 limes (3 if they're small)
1/2 cup (that's 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 teaspoon basil (if using fresh, chop until fine)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

for the filling
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup strawberry preserves (feel free to use your favourite kind!)

method
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt; Set aside.
In stand-mixer bowl (or any large mixing bowl, if you're using a hand-held mixer), combine the sugar and lime zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until it becomes fragrant and moist. Add the butter, basil and confectioners' sugar. Beat on medium speed until fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). On low speed, slowly begin adding the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Form the dough into a disc and cover well with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and two sheets of parchment paper, roll the cold dough out until it's about 1/8-inches thick. Don't worry if it's a circle or a square, or a wonky rectangle. :)
[Note: My dough was too soft to actually "roll," so divided it into 4 parts and gently "patted" each part out with floured hands until it was the right thickness.] Once all the dough has been rolled (or patted) out, use the parchment paper to transfer it onto a cookie sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes. Freezing the dough before baking will help the cookies maintain their shape as they bake.
Remove the dough from the freezer. Use fluted, or plain round cookie cutters (about 1 1/2-inches in diameter) to cut out the cookies. Place the cookies on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until pale golden. Remove the sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for about 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the filling.
Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine the lime juice and preserves. Mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Place a small dollop of preserves onto half of the cooled cookies, and cover with the remaining "nude" halves. Place the cookie sandwiches into a covered container, and refrigerate until the filling has set. [If you serve them right away, the top cookie layer may slide around the slippery filling.]

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

15 comments:

  1. A lovely post! Those cookies will make a perfect gift for your mother. I love that picture of you! Sweet.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I love your new blog look. And these cookies look terrific! (I just had to tell you - I made your chocolate raspberry cake again last night to celebrate my mom's birthday and everyone LOVED it!)

    What an adorable baby you were, furrowed brow and all.

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  3. Thanks, Beth! And a very Happy Belated Birthday to your mom! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the cake. :)

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  4. Ooh, I love the new look, Valerie! I'm all about cupcakes. The sandwich cookies sound great, too!

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  5. Wow, I am absolutely in love with new design! Very, very unique and crisp. Just lovely :)

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  6. These cookies look amazing! Great flavors - yummy!

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  7. Adorable photo, Valerie! :)
    The recipe is a winner too. I do love adding herbs to desserts. Putting this on my list right now.

    Great job on the blog re-do! The new look is exactly right!

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  8. The new design is great--love the colour scheme! Those cookies look delicious too. There something about limes--I made a lime chiffon cake for dessert tonight. And weren't you a cute baby?!

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  9. Love your new look and these cookies look divine! They look so buttery and soft!

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  10. First, congrats on your beautiful new digs. I like it! Ever since I combined Meyer lemons and basil, I knew that I was onto something special. I'm all about sweet and savory now. These do look beautiful, and I once made a cookie with cornstarch. It adds an interesting and delightful texture. I'm pinning these. Sometimes, the hassle recipes turned out to be worth the effort, and I'm a glutton for punishment in the kitchen.

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  11. I adore your blog's new look!!!! So very pretty! :) Awesome layout and such fun colours & design.

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  12. Sounds yummy! The 'fresh look' of your site looks nice on mobile too!

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  13. your blog looks beautiful Valerie! and that picture of you and your mom is so sweet :) these sound incredible! basil and strawberries and lime in cookie form - AMAZING!

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  14. Your new blog template is really sharp. I love it! Great picture of you and your mom, too. That is very sweet.

    And now I am finding myself hungry for Strawberry-Lime Sandwiches...they look marvelous. Excellent post!

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Thanks for visiting, and for taking the time to read through my ramblings!
If you have a recipe comment or question, I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Baking!
♥ Valerie

 

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