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.

Lemon Angel Wings

Adapted from Taste of Home
Printable Recipe

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.