Lemon Ricotta Cake Biscuits

Usually when I make a cake or biscuits I have one small slice and that is enough for me - the rest disappears between family, friends,work and neighbours. But I found these biscuits tooo  delicious - so tempting and lemony! Yum!  
This Giada De Laurentiis recipe  describes them as biscuits that are like little cakes on the inside - and they are just a bit different - soft inside, a little crunchy and sweet/tart with the firm lemon glaze, which is a must for this recipe.

I have little frozen icecubes of lemon juice on standby but sometimes don't have a fresh lemon for a hit of lemon zest or the zest lacks zing.  I found (and personally paid for) an amazing fruit product at Regional Flavours in Brisbane from GinGin and Dry  GinGin and Dry FaceBook - foil packed, dried powder lemon zest (photo at end of post).  I think it is such a wonderful standby in the pantry - I have added the tiniest pinch when baking, cooking salmon, sauces - so versatile and the flavour/aroma hit is sublime.  I love supporting products from local towns - click on the names for the links for more information.  Excellent stuff. Plus their lime zest is a knockout too.   Enjoy!  Colleen

Lemon Ricotta biscuits. Feed Your Inner Cook

Lemon Ricotta biscuits. Feed Your Inner Cook

  I halved original recipe amounts, so this makes 2 biscuit trays of approx 24 - 28 biscuits

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups Plain Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt flakes
65 gram butter at room temperature, soft but not melting
1 cup sugar
1 egg
210 -220 gram Ricotta.  I used fresh ricotta from a Deli. Drained. Break up into small bits before adding. But the supermarket tub ricotta should be okay I think
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Glaze
1 cup icing sugar - sifted
Zest of 1 lemon
Fresh lemon juice (approx 1 -2 tablespoons) Add a bit at a time.

Method
Prepare 2 flat biscuit trays and preheat oven to 180 - 190 oC.

In a medium bowl, sift combined flour, baking powder and salt.
Then, using an electric mixer: beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and whisk until combined
Add ricotta, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat to combine.
Stir in the dry ingredients.

Use a 2 teaspoon method to spoon small amounts onto prepared baking trays.
Bake approx 12 -15 minutes until golden around the edges.
Remove from oven.  Leave to cool on the trays approx 15 minutes.

Making the Glaze
With the sifted icing sugar in a small bowl and slowly add the lemon juice and the zest whisking firmly (a fork or small whisk is good) until the icing forms a runny but thick paste. You want it to coat the biscuits, not soak in.  (I did a few with runny icing - tasted okay but the thicker icing was better).
Leave until the glaze hardens - good luck with that!
Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight container.

GinGin & Dry Products from Queensland Australia

Enjoy with a cup of tea - ssooooo yummy!  Thank you Giada!   Enjoy! Colleen