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Zitronenrosetten (Lemon Rosettes)

This recipe makes pretty cookies that have a light lemon taste. Each lemon rosette is decorated with tiny marzipan star and moon cut-outs, silver or gold baking pearls and pistachio pieces. In the United States, the challenge may be finding cookie cutters small enough to create the moon and star decorations.

About 40 cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 lemons (grate and reserve the peel)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
Decoration

3.5 ounces almond paste
1 cup powdered sugar
yellow food coloring
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
gold or silver baking pearls
1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until very creamy. Add lemon peel, lemon juice and egg. Stir in flour until just incorporated, do not over stir. Place dough into a cookie press with the large star pattern affixed. Line cookie sheets with the baking paper (wax paper may be substituted). Squeeze out the dough onto the baking paper to form small rosettes, leaving about 1-1/2 inches between rosettes. Preheat oven to 350° F and place cookie sheet on the middle rack. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Knead together the almond paste and 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar. Work in the yellow food coloring. Place the mixture on a large sheet of foil. Cover with another sheet of foil and roll out until about 1/4 inch thick. Using the smallest size of cookie cutter available, cut out moons and stars from the dough.

Over low heat and stirring constantly, mix together the remaining powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice and water. Brush each of the cookies with the warmed mixture and apply the stars, moons, baking pearls and pistachios to the rosettes. Allow the warmed mixture to harden on the cookies.

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