Lemon Tassies

Since the weather is finally getting nicer (well, not lately - its been raining her for the past week) I decided to make a spring time treat.  These are little lemon pies - love them.  Not too overpowering in the lemon department - I really hate when its overpowering...it kills the treat.  And you get to make crust!!  I enjoyed making these.  And anything that calls for me to use a zester I'm down for - I find it highly enjoyable to zest something and the smell that comes from it is so nice.  So I pulled out my cookie bible (sadly still on its last leg, pages falling out all the time and so happy that I have a backup one from Sissy) and got to making these. 

This recipe makes a lot since you make them in a mini-muffin tin.  I only had one, so I used that and a normal size muffin tin.  I sprayed the crap out of them with Pam and got going on the crust. It calls for the use of a food processor, and since mine decided to die and go out in a blaze of smokey glory, I used my stand mixer.  It worked great, just took a little longer than it would have with a food processor.  I have to say, it's one of the easiest crusts ever.  Once all made, I portioned it out and pressed the dough into each tin and bake them off until the edges are golden brown.

baked crusts

After they are baked, I pressed down the centers and let them cool while I watched an episode of Game Of Thrones.  Once finished with that, time to make the filling.  This was super easy as well.  And not too lemony as well. 

delicious filling

I fill each cup to the top and bake away.  These bake rather quick, only 10 minutes.  Let cool in the tins and then remove from tins and let set a little bit and then you are good to finally eat them! Really tasty!

a mini

I had Heays bring them into my favorite taste testers and she split them up into 2 - one of them got all the large ones and one of them got all the minis - so they didn't have to worry about sharing.  They were extremely happy for treats - as always.  :) 

Lemon Tassies

makes 4 dozen 

for the crusts:

2 cups all purpose flour

10 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

2 large egg yolks

2 tsps finely grated lemon zest

1/4 tsp coase salt

vegetable oil cooking spray

for the filling:

8 oz cream cheese, room temp

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

3 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in upper third.  Coat 2 24-cup mini-muffin tins with cooking spray.
2. Make crusts:  Process flour and butter in a food processor until mixture is the consistency of fine crumbs.  Add sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest and salt.  Process until just combined and sandy texture; do not overprocess.
3. Divide dough into quarters.  Divide each quarter into 12 equal pieces, and shape into balls.  Place each ball in a muffin cup; press into cup, stretching dough up the sides.  Set each muffin tin on a baking sheet. 
4. Bake crusts, rotating halfway through, until lightly browned all over and slightly darker at the edges, 18-20 minutes.  Tap down any puffed centers of the shells with the end of a wooden spoon or your finger.  Transfer sheets with muffin tins to wire racks to cool. 
5. Make filling:  With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth.  Using a 1" ice cream scoop, fill the cooled crusts with filling.
6. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until filling is set and just beginning to color at the edges, 10-12 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  Tassies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days.