Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Lemon Angel Wings

 

This is a recipe that almost did not get posted!  If a recipe doesn't turn out well or taste good, I can't justify sharing it with you. These Lemon Angel Wings cookies did not turn out well the first time I tried them.  I was so disappointed because the recipe sounded wonderful.  Lemon zest, sour cream, a puff-like pastry and glistening sugar all sounded delicious and beautiful. But, after baking the first batch, they were flat and greasy-looking. 


I still had some dough left in the refrigerator, which I was going to throw out, but decided to go back to the website where I found the recipe, and clicked on the link to where the recipe originated from, and found an error!  There should have been more flour added to the dough.  

I took the remaining dough out of the refrigerator and kneaded in some extra flour and tried baking another batch.  This time - perfect!  Puffy and flaky, not flat and greasy.  It just goes to show you, sometimes mistakes are made - even when editors are watching!


These are called angel wings but many of you will recognize the shape of these cookies as Palmiers, which is French for palm. That is what the shape should look like - the top of a palm tree. (I tried to pinch the top to make a heart shape but they did what they wanted to in the oven).  

These are perfect with a cup of tea! Do you see the green in the background of the above photo?  That WAS green grass outside of my window last week. Winter finally arrived last week and we got our first substantial snow fall. Below is current view outside of the same window.  It was peaceful watching the big flakes fall.  A perfect time to get cozy with a hot cup of tea and these cookies.

Now I can make angel wings in the snow :)


Lemon Angel Wings


Makes 3 dozen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (this is the correct amount)
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
10 tablespoons sugar, divided (I used large sparkling sugar from Wilton)

Place flour in a large bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in sour cream and lemon peel until well blended. Place on a piece of waxed paper; shape into a 4 1/2 inch square. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cut dough into four 2 1/4 - inch squares. (four equal squares). Place one square on a piece of waxed paper sprinkled with 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover with another piece of waxed paper. Keep remaining squares refrigerated. Roll out dough into a 12 inch x 5 inch rectangle, turning often to coat both sides with sugar.

Lightly mark center of 12 inch side. Roll up jellyroll style to the center mark, starting with a short side and peeling paper away while rolling. Repeat rolling from other short side, so the two rolls meet in the center and resemble a scroll.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Repeat with remaining squares, using 2 tablespoons sugar for each. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Unwrap dough and cut into ½ inch slices; dip each side in remaining sugar. Place 2 inches apart on foil lined baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes or until golden brown. Turn cookies over; bake 5 minutes longer. Watch carefully, as they may not need this much time, depending on your oven. 
Remove to wire racks.

46 comments:

Martha said...

These look wonderful and I LOVE the name! I will be making them soon!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

It is -25 Celcius with the windchill and snow angels will need to wait until I won't nip my nose, but I can make angels in the kitchen.

Julie said...

Beautiful! These look like they're straight from a french bakery!

Barbara F. said...

Susan, everything you make and post always looks so beautiful and delicious, even the snowfall video, it is so lovely and almost makes me want a little snow to fall here. We're supposed to have some Friday and Saturday. xo

Vee said...

What a lovely photo of angel wings. They certainly look delicious and I'm glad that the error was found so you didn't lose the dough. Hope that your snow doesn't last any longer than you'd like.

Velva said...

The Angels wings look divine. I am glad that you re-checked the ingredients and added additional flour, it obviously made the difference.

Cheers.
Velva

Pondside said...

Oh my but these look good. They sound like a lot of work but look well worth it all!

Shannon@Cozy Home Scenes said...

Your angel wings are pretty and I bet they are delicious. I love the flavor of lemon in desserts and almost anything. It is such a refreshing flavor to my taste buds. I like your never give up attitude otherwise you would have missed these scrumptious looking treats. I would love to have you put them on my Your Cozy Home Party if you wish. It ends at 10 PM on Thursday. Hope you can come.---- Shannon

Chiara said...

They look delicious Susan, I love the name! A warm hug...

Lynn said...

Here I sit with a hot cup of coffee... so wish I had a few of these pretty cookies too! I'll let you have the snow though:@)

Rita said...

I love the name of these lovely creation; perfect with my cup of green tea. Anything lemony is right up my alley.
Rita

Joanne said...

I'm so glad you went back and gave these a second shot because they sound delicious! Bites of lemony refreshing goodness.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

How beautiful and so glad you kept at it. I've had the same thing happen to me and sometimes it's necessary to forge on and keep trying.
Sam

tasteofbeirut said...

The cookies and the shot are beautiful! So this is a pastry you made from scratch? I thought you had bought the puff pastry! Lovely!

Carol @ Always Thyme to Cook said...

I'm glad you figured it out, they look amazing! I could just imagine that first heavenly lemony bite.

Deana Sidney said...

Every once in a while I mess up and put T instead of t or something like and don't catch it right away> I feel terrible and correct it because if someone goes to the trouble and expense of making something , I want it to work for them. I am sure some things/typos have gotten by me though!
Cool you got it to work... what a difference that much flour missing would make!! They look adorable now!

Katerina said...

Indeed they look like palmiers, but they must taste differently. They look very fluffy and you have accompanied them perfectly with the cup of tea. I would have done the same!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Yum! A couple of those with my coffee would be good about now.

Marysol said...

Susan, there is no such thing as an unappetizing lemon dessert. And there will never be one, remember that :)

These lemon wings certainly live up to their name! Heavenly.

beti said...

they look so cute and delicious! the name is perfect

Shannon@Cozy Home Scenes said...

Thanks so much for putting these on my party. I'm sure you are going to be personally responsible for lots of us straying from our good intentions!! Heehee. The cookies really do look fabulous. Please come next Tues. if you can.
Shannon

Angie's Recipes said...

These Angel Wings look melt-in-mouth! Lemon, sour cream...I have no doubt at all how great they would have tasted!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

The angel wings would be perfect with my cup of tea! They look incredibly delicious. Thanks for figuring out the error!

Nann said...

Oh YUM!! These look SOooo good. I am going to definitely try these. Saw you on Cozy Home Scenes Linky Party. I am so glad I came. I am now following you!

Nann

Nann said...

I just posted a comment but its
disappeared. Love the recipe. It looks just delicious. Came here from Shannons Cozy Home Scene Linky party and so glad I did. I'm now following you.

Nann

Alice said...

These cookies look wonderful! Thanks for sharing the snow, too! :) It's way too warm here... Sometimes it's nice to have cooler weather.

Anonymous said...

angel wings in the snow...now isn't that It seems we won't have snow this year perfect, our weather is just too "doux".
It is true that a mistake in a recipe can so easily just creep in..luckily readers are quite understanding..
You always bake the most beautiful and delicate looking cookies...I would showcase them in stead of eating!
Ronelle

Victor said...

As you know, Canada is very cold. We got our first freezing rain, so hard to walk on the streets when it is all slippery.

I never knew how to make angel wings, looking at your ingredients, it looks much simpler than I thought.

Mary said...

I can taste the lemony goodness right now! I want it ALL~ the snowy scene outside, these delicious palmiers and a cup of tea!

John'aLee said...

They sound divine. Good for you not giving up on the recipe!

Cindy said...

The Lemon Angel Wings sound wonderful! You have some yummy sounding recipes, I will have to investigate further.
Hugs, Cindy

La Table De Nana said...

Bien voyons donc! Where did my comment go..It must have flown on angel's wings into the blogosphere.
These look heavenly!
I love having snow in winter..not too much..just white:)

Unknown said...

I've always wanted to make palmiers, a beautiful cookie that I would like to add to my repertoire! They look perfect with a cup of tea on a cold winter's day.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

The cookies looks so wonderfully sweet and light! I'm glad you investigated the recipe and found the error.

The snow looks pretty! We might get our first snow of the year this weekend.

Val said...

Gorgeous, light and delicate.

Food Jaunts said...

I love lemon cookies. Those look so tasty. I'm so glad you figured out the problem and gave it another shot

chow and chatter said...

lovely and great that you revisited it

Barbara said...

I've had that happen, too. Thank you internet!!
This batch looks perfect. I love that lemon flavor. Can't wait to try. WITH the corrected version. :)

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

What a perfect treat with a cup of tea! I just may give this recipe a try! Sadly, winter has arrived here too . . . I guess it was inevitable! It's snowing now and it's not expected to end until 4:00 p.m.

Lea Ann (Highlands Ranch Foodie) said...

I'm so glad they turned out good the 2nd time and ended up starring on your blog ... they look amazing and so pretty. Bookmarked!

Gloria Baker said...

hese look delicious and perfect!! and the pictures are amazing!

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

Thanks so much, everyone!

Katie@Cozydelicious said...

These look wonderful! And I'm glad you tried again. Such a cute cookie!

Kathleen said...

They look delicious, Susan. Your family is blessed to have you preparing such wonderful foods!
We got 6 inches of snow today, and the plows havent made it here yet. I think they don't want to pay the overtime! It is supposed to warm up though, so I hope it melts!

Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake said...

This is such a cute dessert! I'm glad you didn't dismiss the greasiness and went for a second shot, because it looks great. Perfect for a little afternoon tea indulgence :D

A Canadian Foodie said...

So gorgeous, Susan! I am happy you persevered so we can all succeed! the angel wings look divine, particularly with the tea and wedge of lemon - AND, we have the same china!
I bought an 8 piece place setting years ago, and then have added and added all the little pieces to it through e-bay after Royal Doulton stopped making it. Carlyle has always been my very favourite china and I love using it. I adore the double handled soups, too - and the demi tasses - love it all!
:)
V