Cooking Lesson #674: Lemon Meringue Pie Cocktail + Lemon laceY cookies

From the Perspectives’  Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? I met Crash the bartender at a TGI Fridays  in San Jose, California when we were under construction with one of our new restaurants. He was one of those bar tenders who was able to juggle the bottles and do all the fancy pours that captivate people and turn occasional drinkers into confirmed regulars. 
 
Crash was also a talented mixologist who loved inventing new cocktails. I hired him. We would sit in meeting with a layout of our promotional calendar and Crash would develop cocktails that fit our needs—there was never a clunker—they were all great.
 
We were planning a pie month and our stalwart bartender came up with the Lemon Meringue Cocktail—a bright, lemony, creamy libation. The Lemon Meringue Cocktail has a strong lemon punch but it mellowed out with the sweetness of the meringue. It truly is the Lemon Meringue Pie in cocktail form.
 
Prep time:  
Yield:  4 cocktails
 
Ingredients 
1 cup lemon curd (recipe below) or if you’re feeling a bit lazy you can use store bought
2 ounces Limoncello (Italian Liquor)
6 ounces vodka
Lemon juice to taste, if needed
4 Lemon Lacey Cookies (recipe below)
1 recipe of Swiss meringue (recipe below)
4 chilled martini glasses
 
Directions

1. Place the lemon curd, Limoncello, vodka and ice cubes in a shaker and shake to combine and chill.
2. Taste and add some lemon juice if you like the cocktail to be more tart in flavor (I personally prefer to add 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice)
3. Shake once more to combine lemon juice if using.
4. Strain the mixture into 4 chilled serving glasses evenly.
5. Top with the Swiss meringue.
6. Using a kitchen blow torch, brown the edges of the meringue
7. Serve immediately with a homemade lace cookie on the side.

                                                 Lemon Lacey Cookies
These cookies are very lacey, delicate and packed with flavor. The lemon zest adds a subtle freshness and the aroma of lemon and together with the caramelized sugar, these cookies taste and smell amazing. These “eat anytime” cookies are not for cocktails only.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  12 minutes
Yield:  18 cookies
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 cups almonds
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (I prefer Guittard chocolate).
 
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F .
2. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
3. Place the almonds in a food processor and grind them to the texture of breadcrumbs (not as fine as flour).
4. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar, and honey until the butter and sugar are melted.
5. Transfer the butter mixture to a small mixing bowl and stir in the flour, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extracts and almonds.
6. Chill the dough for 15 minutes.
7. Place rounded teaspoonfuls of dough 3-inches apart on one of the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown but not too dark or they will taste burnt.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately lift the parchment paper with the cookies onto the counter to let cool.
9. While the cookies are cooling, put another batch of cookies into the oven.
10. After a few minutes, the cookies will have cooled and firmed up. You can then lift them off the paper and transfer them to a wire rack to fully cool.
11. Once all the cookies are baked and cooled, melt the chocolate in a small double boiler over low heat. Be sure not to let any of the water get into the chocolate or it will seize up.
12. Turn half of the cookies over and brush them with a thin layer of melted chocolate. Sandwich the cookies by adding another lace cookie on top (bottom to bottom) and let rest until the chocolate is set.
13. Store lace cookies between layers of parchment in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

ChefSecret:  You can adjust the flavor by using only almond extract, adding orange extract or any other flavor or extract to your taste.

                                          Cooked Swiss Meringue Topping
Sweet, smooth and perfect for this tart cocktail! The eggs are cooked to the safe food temperature, so it can be spooned directly on top and eaten with a spoon.
 
Ingredients 
2 egg whites room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 
Special Equipment 
Wire whisk
Hand beater
Heat proof bowl that would fit on a saucepan to use as a double boiler.
 
Directions

1. In the saucepan, bring two inches of water to a low simmer.
2. In a clean heat safe bowl, place the egg whites and sugar and mix them well with a whisk.
3. Place this bowl on top of the saucepan with barely simmering water and mix continuously. This is important as whisking prevents the egg whites from cooking and curdling. You are not looking to incorporate air here, but just to keep the mixture moving.
4. Stir the egg white and sugar with the whisk for about 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the egg whites become creamy white in color. If you have a food thermometer, heat the egg whites while whisking to 145°-150°F. If the sugar dissolves, you have heated the eggs to this temperature.
5. Remove the eggs from the double boiler and immediately start beating the egg whites with a hand mixer to make the meringue.
6. Whisk on high for about 3-4 minutes until the egg whites have tripled in volume and has stiff peaks—this is a Swiss meringue.
7. Add the vanilla extract and mix for a few seconds till it's well incorporated.
8. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
9. The meringue will keep for 24 hours in the fridge.

ChefSecret:  I know I can hear you whining—all this for one drink? Yes… because it so damn good and you will become a legend in your own time (or mind). 😊

Quip of the Day:  When life doesn’t give you lemons, drink Limoncello.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

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                                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

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