Lemongrass Shortbread Cookies

August 29, 2011

The marriage of two glorious addictions ~ Lemongrass Shortbread Cookies.

Lemongrass is like catnip for me. I want to eat it, drink it, inhale its bright earthy aroma… Heck, I’d be happy to roll in it. Ever since my first encounter with lemongrass in Asian Cuisine, I’ve been hooked.

With a bright lemon essence and a grassy back-note, lemongrass is rightly named. Its intoxicating fragrance is mystically calming and healing. No wonder its used in numerous teas, candles, soap, even lotions. Secretly, I cannot resist buying lemongrass products; they add a little spark of joy to my day.

This year, instead of spending a fortune on lemongrass loot, I invested in a lemongrass plant. Its long green blades and rusty shoots have flourished in the summer sun. The only problem is… I FORGOT ALL ABOUT IT!

I had lofty aspirations of tea, cocktails, sorbet, even a possible souffle. Yet in the midst of vacations, chasing kids, and endless hours at the pool, it’s grown untouched all season. Now that the kids are back in school and my regular routine is emerging, I’m ready to get my hands on that plant.

To pay homage to this most beloved herb, I’m incorporating it into the only other food that effects me with uncontrollable passion… Shortbread. There are a handful of shortbread recipes here on ASP. The crisp buttery layers and velvety crumb make shortbread the perfect cookie, in my opinion. Combined with poppy lemongrass, tender shortbread cookies are EVEN MORE irresistible.

Lemongrass Shortbread Cookies bring two alluring components together for a zippy luxurious treat. I can die a happy girl.

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Yield: 2 dozen

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Lemongrass Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

3 sticks (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ Tb. lemongrass, minced extra fine, divided
1 Tb. water
3 ¼ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3 Tb. milk
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Food coloring

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using your electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together until it is combined.

Place the lemongrass and 1 TB. water together in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute to loosen the flavors. Divide into two equal portions.

Turn the mixer on low, then add half the lemongrass, salt and flour a little at a time, until the dough comes together.

Dump the dough onto a floured work surface. Roll the dough out until it is 1/3 of an inch thick. Using a floured 2–inch cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Try to cut out as many as possible from the first sheet of dough. Each time you gather and re-roll the dough the cookies will get a little tougher.

Bake for 20 minutes--until barely golden. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Pour 3 TB. of milk in a medium bowl. Add the remaining lemongrass and microwave for another minutes to allow the lemongrass to infuse into the milk. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add a drop of yellow and a tiny drop of green food coloring if desired.

Dip the tops of each cookie in the glaze. Use a spoon to scrape the excess off the sides, then place back on the parchment paper to dry.