Delicate shortbread cookies with an Italian accent.

Step-by-step cooking

1. Step 1:

   

   Let's start with the shortbread dough. To begin with, sift 450 g of wheat flour. Add 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1/3 tsp vanilla, a pinch of salt, 100 g sugar and 70 g corn starch. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly.

2. Step 2:

   

   We also send 180 g of softened butter there and rub the dough into crumbs.

3. Step 3:

   

   Add 1 egg and one protein and knead the dough. We do not knead such dough for a long time. If you see that it turns out to be dry and does not gather into a ball, add 1-2 tablespoons of cold water.

4. Step 4:

   

   The result is a soft elastic dough that does not stick to your hands. Put it in a bag or wrap it in plastic wrap and send it to the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Meanwhile, let's prepare the filling. To do this, mix 250 g mascarpone, 60 g sugar, 1.5 tsp corn starch, yolk and zest of one medium lemon. Mascarpone can be replaced with custard, well-mashed fatty cottage cheese or ricotta. The result is a fairly thick mass, which will then be very convenient to work with.

6. Step 6:

   

   Take the dough out of the refrigerator, divide it in half. One part is sent back to the refrigerator, and the second is rolled into a layer about 3 mm thick.

8. Step 7:

   

   Then we cut out the future cookies-circles with a diameter of approximately 7-8 cm. From this amount of test, I got 36 such circles. Accordingly - 18 pieces, because each needs 2 such circles.

9. Step 8:

   

   In order to assemble the cookies, we spread about 1 tsp of filling on one circle, and then covering it with a second circle, gently press it along the edge with our fingers. So that the filling does not leak out, and the cookies keep their shape, we walk along the edge with a fork.

10. Step 9:

    

    Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, cover the baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the cookies. I got 2 batches of 9 pieces.

11. Step 10:

    

    My oven works in the "bottom-top" mode without convection and the cookies were baked for 17 minutes. Be sure to focus on your oven. Ready-made cookies are not very browned, so do not overdo them in the oven.

12. Step 11:

    

    When you take out the cookies, let them cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. The delicate sandy-creamy delicacy is ready! Bon appetit!