CITRUS glazed RICOTTA cookies

Tangy LEMONS and sweet ORANGES...

will delight you in every bite from these cake-like cookies.

The very first time I was given the pleasure to be introduced to these lovely textured tangy mouthfuls was at a bridal shower.

Before that moment, even though I have baked my share of Ricotta based goodies....I had never heard of or tried these cake-like cookies.

Actually, the ones I had tried that day...

were flavoured solely with lemon.

Obviously, for me to want to bake yet another cookie which at this point was really not appropriate since bathing suit season is a knocking...did I need to have more temptation???  Not really!
 
So, what came next... I shamefully convinced myself that I was going to show a lot of restraint. After all, these babies did apparently freeze very well.

So, I went forth with my 'pushiness' and asked around to whom I should be speaking to in order to 'mooch' off this recipe! 
She, unlike some who usually guard their precious recipe secrets...had so generously offered to email it to me very soon. 
Now...the word soon (as far as I'm concerned) means give or take within the next week. Well, what planet was I from?  Not in todays' timeline it seems! 

Tick tock...I got slightly impatient and headed off on my all dependable cyber search. Oh, boy...did I get a few versions of this type of recipe or what!  I knew that I was probably going to end up twisting everything and making it my own...so I went ahead and picked five of the best versions out there.

Alright, it was time to evaluate each one...make my notes and re-revise them carefully before I got to baking them that weekend.

To my delight...before the week was up...guess which email had arrived?  Oh, I was soooo pleased.  Especially since her recipe is what got me started on this little obsession of mine. The only way I can explain this type of behaviour...hormones...my excuse to any strange-like craziness. ;o)

I took a very careful look at her recipe and decided that the recipe I had concocted with the additional taste of orange and other important tweaks might even have a chance to turn out better in texture and flavour. I also decided to make one quick change about the sugar content...and off I went.

CITRUS glazed RICOTTA cookies

makes 4 dozens

Click HERE for PRINTER version

 INGREDIENTS:

(American / Metric measures)

Reserve citrus juice to use in both parts of the following recipe:
. 1 big lemon, finely zested and juiced
. 1 big orange, finely zested and juiced
___________________________________________

...DRY:
. 2 cups (300g) All-Purpose flour
. 1 tsp. (5ml) baking powder
. 1/2 tsp. (2.5ml) salt
. 1/4 tsp. (1ml) baking soda
...WET:
. 1/2 cup (125ml) unsalted butter (softened)
. 1-1/4 cup (275g) granulated sugar
. 1 large egg
. 1 cup (230g) Ricotta cheese
. 2 tbsp. (30ml) lemon juice
. 2 tbsp. (30ml) orange juice
. 1 tbsp. (15ml) each of the citrus zests

...for the cookie GLAZE:
. 1 cup (150gr) confectioner's sugar
. 1-1/2 tbsp. (45ml) each of the citrus juices

PREPARATION:

NOTE:  cookie dough needs to be chilled 1 hour beforehand.    
Afterwards, pre-heat oven at: 350F/180C/Gas4

please note: If you are using a convection oven, adjust your timeline a little sooner.

Position rack on second level from bottom of the oven.

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

...DOUGH: 
. In a large sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Make a center well to later receive the wet mixture. Set aside.
. In a medium bowl, electrically beat the softened butter with the sugar until fluffy.  Then, beat in the egg and the Ricotta cheese, followed by the portion of citrus juice and zests allocated to this part of the recipe.
. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.  With a spatula, combine and fold all until flour disappears.  Don't stir or over mix.  Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.   Note: About 20 minutes before the cookie dough is chilled, start pre-heating the oven.  
...SHAPE COOKIES:
. Set up one pre-lined baking sheet at the time. With two spoons, roughly shape 24 walnut-sized cookie portions.  Place them about 1 inch (5cm) apart.
. The remaining dough should be placed back into the fridge until a few minutes before the first cookie batch is finished baking.
...BAKE: 
. Depending more or less on the darkness of your cookie sheet...bake for about 18 minutes or until lightly gold on the edges. When ready, have them cool on the sheet for about 5 more minutes.   Repeat the same for the next cookie sheet. 
...GLAZE: 
. In a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and the remaining citrus juices until smooth.  At this point, make sure the glaze is not runny...it should hold a slight thick consistency.  If not thick enough, add a little more icing sugar. 
...SETTING the GLAZE: (Once all cookies have properly cooled)
. Take the same pieces of parchment used for baking and place them under the racks which you’ll be using to set the glaze on the cookies.  This will capture any messy drips.  Slowly spoon glaze over each cookie top.   Let them rest on racks for at least 90 minutes.
...STORAGE tips: 
. Place them into a metal airtight container layered by parchment paper for up to 1 week.  Or, better yet, preserve their freshness by packaging them into a parchment paper and into a freezer bag for up to 1 month.   Enjoy.

The verdict:
I was absolutely thrilled with my boldness.
Due to my stubborness to make this recipe my own, everything turned out great.

I have made sure to update this recipe so that the next batch of cookies will turn out perfectly.

Let’s put on the coffee and

get ready to enjoy these cuties.

Flavourful wishes,

Foodessa

Here are a few more CITRUS based desserts that may be of interest:

- Citrus Chocolate Coconut Ginger Nut flourless torte cake

- CLEMENTINE CHOCO NUT flourless torte cake

- LEMON mousse frozen PIE no bake 

- ORANGE spice ALMOND flourless torte cake

- TiraMiSù Galliano LEMON special