Lemon - Cornmeal Cookies with Lemon Icing

     I wanted to do something that felt like spring... since, it is spring.  Even though it snowed most of yesterday, we are finally, officially past winter, and heading in the right direction.  Chives and rhubarb are off to a good start in my garden.  Soon enough, I'll be preparing meals made with produce from my potager. 

     These Lemon - Cornmeal Cookies with a drizzle of Lemon Icing, are so good and I don't bake them often enough.  This time, I used medium, stone-ground,cornmeal.  If you like coarseness and a little hard crunch in your cookies, go this route.  If not, stick with the regular, finely ground cornmeal. 

     This is a nice little cookie to have on hand for Easter.  A sprinkling of rainbow sugar over the lemon icing goes nicely with colored Easter eggs and jelly beans!

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• Confectioners' sugar
• Fresh lemon juice
• Colored, decorative sugar

   In the bowl of a food processor, combine the first 5 ingredients and pulse several times.  Cut up the butter and add to the ingredients in the food processor.  Pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.  Add whole egg, the yolk, vanilla and lemon zest.  Knead, in the bowl, several times or until just blended.  Wrap dough in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.
   On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick.  Cut into desired shapes and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake in preheated 375 degree oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.  Cool on racks. 
   In a small bowl, fill with Confectioners' sugar.  Add fresh lemon juice, while mixing, until drizzling consistancy.  Using a small spoon, scoop up a little icing and hold above the center of a cookie, allowing the icing to drizzle down onto the cookie.  Sprinkle with colored sugar and place on a plate or rack until icing is dry.

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