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Get the Recipe: Black Sesame Sugar Cookies with Lemon Curd

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Ingredients

For the Lemon Curd

    (makes around 1 cup)

    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • zest from 1 lemon
    • 4 large egg yolks
    • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

    For the Black Sesame Sugar

      (makes slightly more than 1 cup)

      • 1/3 cup black sesame seeds
      • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
      • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

      For the Black Sesame Sugar Cookies

      • 15 ounces all-purpose flour
      • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
      • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
      • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
      • 1 cup black sesame sugar, (from recipe above)
      • 1 large egg
      • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

      Equipment

      • a candy thermometer
      • A food processor
      • cookie cutters (I used these flower cookie cutters)

      Instructions
       

      For the Lemon Curd

      • In a heatproof glass bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, zest from 1 lemon, and 4 large egg yolks. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water over medium heat to make a double boiler, making sure that the bottom of the bowl isn't touching the water. Whisk occasionally, cooking the mixture until it thickens considerably and a candy thermometer placed in the middle of the mixture reads 172 degrees (F).
      • Remove the bowl containing the curd from the pan. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool until a candy thermometer placed in the middle of the mixture reads 140 degrees (F).
      • When the mixture has cooled to 140 degrees, whisk in a couple of unsalted butter cubes from your 1/4 cup portion. Continue whisking until the butter cubes are completely incorporated, and then add another couple cubes until you finish your 1/4 cup portion. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until well chilled before using to assemble and fill the cake.

      For the Black Sesame Sugar

      • Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 400ºF.
      • Spread 1/3 cup black sesame seeds evenly across a baking tray, before placing inside the oven. Use a heatproof rubber spatula to stir and toss the seeds every 3 to 4 minutes to ensure that they're being evenly heated, baking for a total of 15 to 17 minutes. Towards the end, the seeds should turn a light brown color and start to steam and smoke. To check that the seeds are ready, rub a seed between your fingers. The seed should shatter and crush easily into smaller grains, emitting a nutty and fragrant smell. When the seeds pass this test, immediately transfer to a cooler plate on a wire rack to prevent any burning.
      • Once the seeds cool off completely, transfer to a small bowl and whisk in 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup dark brown sugar. Divide into two batches and pulse half the mixture in a food processor until finely ground; the mixture should resemble super-fine cornmeal. It took my food processor around 20 seconds of pulsing to achieve the desired texture (which you can see in the jar in the pictures above). Repeat with the second batch. DO NOT PULSE IN ONE BIG BATCH — otherwise, you risk the seeds turning into a butter instead of sugar. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

      For the Black Sesame Sugar Cookies

      • In a medium bowl, whisk together 15 ounces all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
      • In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup black sesame sugar. Cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, lower the mixer speed to its lowest setting and add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, before turning the mixer speed back to medium-high and beating for an additional minute. Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
      • Sprinkle the dry ingredients (from the 1st step) over the butter and sugar, and pulse the mixer a few times to avoid a flour cloud from poofing up and out of the mixing bowl. Continue mixing on the mixer's lowest speed just until the flour is incorporated, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
      • Once all the flour has been incorporated, use your hands to form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Smoosh down on the ball to form a disc and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
      • Prepare two baking sheets by lining each with parchment paper. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough using your favorite cookie cutter and transfer the cutouts to the two prepared baking sheets.
      • Transfer one baking sheet to the refrigerator to chill one set of cookies while the other is baking. Transfer the remaining baking sheet to the center rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining tray of cookies.

      Notes

      Cookie recipe adapted from Food52, black sesame sugar from Lady and Pups
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