Lemon Drop Cookies

Lemon Drop Cookies (adapted slightly from The English Kitchen)

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup caster/ultrafine sugar

zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange (2 lemons if they're small)

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup ground almonds

1 3/4 cups self-raising flour

lemon curd

milk

sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Rub the citrus zests into the sugar. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, followed by vanilla. Stir in the almonds and flour, mixing well.

Divide the mixture into 20 pieces and shape each into a ball between your palms. Place, evenly spaced, on the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room in between. (I did 10 cookies per sheet) Using the handle of a wooden spoon make a deep depression in the center of each ball, wiggling it around just a little to open it up. Fill each hole with 1/2 tsp lemon curd. Pinch the opening semi closed to almost cover the curd. Brush the tops with some milk and then sprinkle with flaked almonds.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges start to brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.