Lemony Semolina Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Position racks to divide the oven into thirds, and heat it to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together semolina, almond flour, baking powder and salt.
• Put sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer. Finely grate lemon zest over sugar, then rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add eggs and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. With mixer running, pour oil down side of the bowl and beat for another 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and orange blossom water, if using. Turn off mixer, add half the dry ingredients and mix them in on low speed, then add the rest, mixing only until dry ingredients disappear into the dough, which will be thick.
• Sift some confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. For each cookie, spoon out a level tablespoon of dough, roll it between your palms to form a ball and dredge in sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets, then use your thumb to push down the center of each cookie, pressing firmly enough to make an indentation and to cause the edges to crack.
• Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back after 8 minutes, or until cookies are ever so lightly colored: They will be golden on the bottom, puffed, dramatically cracked and just firm to the touch. Carefully lift the cookies off sheets and onto racks. Cookies will keep for about 4 days in a covered container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Using a grater, grate lemon peels, removing only the yellow part.
• Place the grated peel in a mixing bowl.
• Squeeze the lemon juice and set aside in a small bowl.
• Combine the butter, vanilla, sugar and salt in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, if you have one, and beat together at medium speed until creamy.
• Add the egg, ½ cup lemon juice and grated rind and beat until incorporated.
• Reserve any extra lemon juice for another use.
• Decrease speed to slow and add the semolina and then the flour, beating until just incorporated.
• Turn the dough onto a marble or wooden work surface and divide it into 2 balls.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
• When chilled, remove from the refrigerator and roll each ball into a log 2-inches in diameter.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Working on a marble or wooden surface, unwrap the dough log and cut into rounds about ½-inch thick.
• Sprinkle each round with a little sugar and lightly flatten the rounds with a rolling pin.
• Place the rounds on an unbuttered cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Bake the cookies on the middle rack of an oven for about 10 minutes, or until the surface starts to crack slightly.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.
• The cookies will harden as they cool.

Steps:

• 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. 2. Cream together the butter, olive oil, and 1 cup sugar on medium speed until very light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the egg yolk, followed by the lemon zest and juice, limoncello, and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. 3. On low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to make a soft dough. Remove the dough from the bowl, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill until it is firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. 4. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or butter or line them with parchment. 5. Place the additional granulated sugar in a small bowl. With lightly floured fingers, break off teaspoonfuls of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar to coat evenly. Place the cookies on the baking sheets, evenly spacing them 1 inch apart. 6. Bake the cookies until they have collapsed and are crinkled and pale golden brown, 14 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. Allow the cookies to cool for 1 or 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then use a spatula to transfer them gently onto wire racks to cool completely. 7. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container, layered with parchment paper, in a cool, dry place for up to 4 days

Steps:

• Make the cakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk almond flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to combine.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With motor running, gradually add eggs and beat until glossy, about 1 minute. Add dry ingredients and lemon juice and beat to combine, about 1 minute.
• Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until cakes are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-35 minutes.
• Make the syrup:
• Make the syrup while the cakes are baking. Bring lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• As soon as cakes come out of the oven, brush or spoon syrup liberally over top (you may not need all of it). Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cakes cool completely before turning out.
• Do Ahead
• Cakes can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.