Lemon Goat-Butter Tea Cakes

Mindy Segal

Most people either love goat cheese or hate it. I hate it, but I love goat butter. It has a mild, sour flavor that adds unexpected depth to baked goods—and it tastes nothing like goat cheese. The kitchen was already stocked with goat butter for our goat butter brioche when I started thinking about what else we could do with this delicate ingredient. Flavored with lemon zest and orange blossom water, this lovely cookie is perfect with afternoon tea—but it is not at all a girly cookie. Its complex flavors also make it a favorite of my husband, Dan Tompkins. These cookies bake very quickly, so keep an eye on them. They are best when still soft in the center, and they dry out when baked too long.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 12

Total Time 1 12

Servings cookies

Calories 101kcal

Author Mindy Segal

Ingredients

Cookies

4 ounces unsalted goat butter room temperature
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon cane sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 1 lemon
2 extra-large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon orange blossom water optional
1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

FOR COATING

1 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
2 tablespoons coarse cornmeal

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter briefly on medium speed for 5 seconds. Add the cane sugar and lemon zest and beat until the butter mixture is aerated and very white, approximately 4 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to bring the batter together.
Crack the eggs into a small cup or bowl and add the vanilla and orange blossom water.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salts.
On medium speed, add the eggs, vanilla, and orange blossom water to the butter mixture, one egg at a time, mixing briefly before adding the second, until the batter resembles cottage cheese, approximately 5 seconds for each egg. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to bring the batter together. Mix on medium speed for 20 to 30 seconds to make nearly homogeneous.
Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together but still looks shaggy, approximately 30 seconds. Do not overmix. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. With a plastic bench scraper, bring the dough completely together by hand.
Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Refrigerate overnight.
Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a couple of half-sheet (13x18-inch) pans with parchment paper.

To make the coating:

Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and cornmeal in a bowl, ensuring there is plenty of room in the bowl to roll the dough in the sugar.
Portion the dough into 12 mounds using a ¾-ounce (1½ tablespoon) ice cream or cookie scoop. Coat the mounds completely and generously with the confectioners’ sugar mixture. (You will not use all of the sugar.) The dough should resemble snowballs.
Evenly space the mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Add a generous pinch or two more confectioners’ sugar to the tops. Bake for 8 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes.
The cookies will crinkle and set on top, but they will not brown. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining dough.
These cookies have a short shelf life. Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Unbaked dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Notes

Nutrition

Find more recipes at feastandwest.com