Combine hazelnuts and 1 tablespoon sugar in processor; grind nuts finely. Using electric mixer, beat remaining ⅔ cup sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in hazelnut mixture, then egg, egg yolk, lemon peel, lemon extract, salt, and cinnamon. Beat in flour. Gather dough into ball. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Flatten each into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk between sheets of parchment paper to scant ¼-inch thickness, sprinkling dough with flour to prevent sticking and occasionally peeling off top parchment to remove wrinkles. Peel off top sheet of parchment. Using 2-inchdiameter fluted pastry cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing ½ inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll, cutting out more cookies and placing on baking sheets. Using 1-inch-diameter fluted pastry cutter, cut out centers from half of cookies, making rings. Gather centers as scraps. Bake cookies 5 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and bake cookies until light golden, about 6 minutes longer. Cool cookies on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Arrange whole cookie rounds on work surface. Drop generous ½ teaspoon preserves in center of each. Arrange cookie rings on work surface. Sift powdered sugar over. Place 1 cookie ring atop each whole cookie round, forming sandwich with preserves in cutout center.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store in airtight containers between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator
These are wonderful sugar cookies with the crunch of poppy seeds and a lemony cream cheese filling. Assemble the sandwiches shortly before serving to keep them crisp. If you like, skip the filling and serve the tasty cookies on their own. If you can’t find a fluted pastry cutter, use a plain round cutter; the only thing that will be missing is the scalloped edge. Makes about 2 dozen
Cookies
2¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1¼ cups sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon extract
Filling
8 ounces Philadelphia-brand cream cheese room temperature
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon lemon extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
COOKIES: Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in egg, then poppy seeds, lemon peel, and both extracts. Mix in flour mixture in 3 additions. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into disk. Wrap each in plastic and chill 2 hours.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Butter 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to ⅛-inch thickness. Using 2½-inch-diameter fluted pastry cutter, cut out cookies. Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Gather dough scraps; reroll and cut out more cookies. Chill cookies on baking sheets 15 minutes.
Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, until edges just begin to color, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 3 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining dough.
DO AHEAD: Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 1 month.
FILLING: Beat all ingredients in large bowl until light and fluffy. Spread 2 teaspoons filling over bottom side of 1 cookie. Press second cookie, bottom side down, onto filling. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.Technique Tip: A Few Good TurnsWhen rolling out dough on a lightly floured work surface, lift and rotate the dough frequently to keep it from sticking, and dust the surface lightly with additional flour as needed.
Ladyfingers are little sponge cakes. You will need a pastry bag and a No. 6 star tip for this recipe, as the ladyfingers are shaped by piping the batter onto foil in short, thin lines that resemble fingers. The dainty sandwich cookies are assembled just before serving, but the tart lemon curd filling can be made two days ahead. These would be an excellent addition to an afternoon tea. Makes 18
Lemon Curd
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
Ladyfingers
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
2½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
3 large egg whites
2 pinches of salt
½ cup superfine sugar
⅔ cup sifted unbleached all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)
½ cup powdered sugar
LEMON CURD: Whisk lemon juice and cornstarch in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Combine sugar, butter, egg yolks, egg, and lemon peel in heavy small skillet. Whisk in dissolved cornstarch mixture. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer lemon curd to bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd to prevent skin from forming. Chill until cold.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
LADYFINGERS: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Dab butter in each corner of 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets. Line baking sheets with foil, leaving 1-inch overhang at short ends. Butter and flour foil, shaking off excess.
Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon peel in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add superfine sugar and beat until stiff and shiny. Gently fold in yolk mixture. Sift in flour in 4 additions, folding gently after each addition. Spoon batter into pastry bag fitted with No. 6 star tip. Pipe eighteen 4-inchlong ladyfingers onto each baking sheet. Sift powdered sugar over ladyfingers. Let stand 2 minutes. Using fingertip, press down points at ends of ladyfingers. Bake until lightly colored and crisp, 17 to 18 minutes. Transfer foil with ladyfingers to rack and let cool 15 minutes. Gently peel ladyfingers off foil and cool completely on rack. Fill within several hours, or layer with paper towels in airtight container and store overnight.
Spread 2 teaspoons lemon curd on flat surface of 1 ladyfinger. Press flat surface of another ladyfinger onto lemon curd to form sandwich. Set on platter. Repeat with remaining ladyfingers and lemon curd. Serve immediately.