Lemony Cricket's A Series of Repetitous Events

I know what your thinking, "What is up with that wretched attempt at film punning?" Indeed it’s appalling to the point of offensive but sometimes a girl just has to indulge her inner dag. It has been repressed for far too long and now it’s manifesting itself. What can I do?

Well there’s really no justification for of this dismal display of wordplay. The cookies in question are actually Lemon and Currant Cornmeal Crunch. But in some outrageous lapse into nonsensical thought, I was looking at these cookies, and I thought that the currants looked a lot like tiny baked crickets, not that I have ever baked crickets. I must have been on some unconscious acid trip or something of the like. Perhaps I’m experiencing hallucinations from a fever i've had, football fever that is. Yep, I caught it after jumping on the World Cup bandwagon.

Yes, I shamelessly admit I have jumped on the bandwagon. Personally, I don’t think there is anything wrong with bandwagon hopping. Why the more the merrier I say! Anyway, enough about crude punnage, acid trips and bandwagons. After the success of my recent polenta venture I’ve become quite obsessed with it, to the point of repetitious in fact. As atonement for past polenta blunders I have been baking up a storm with the 1-kilo sack of polenta I bought and thus a polenta revival has been birthed.

Starting from the success of these cookies, I have baked a “few” more just to confirm that it wasn’t a mere stroke of luck. These cookies still have the delightful crunch of their Orange and Polenta cousins, just not as buttery. Albeit, they were still scrumptious mounds of sugary heaven. I have also become addicted to adding zests into my batter, as I find the aroma intoxicating. These cookies contain lemon zest and oh how it permeated the house with a fresh citrus fragrance!

I enjoyed making these cookies so much that I have decided to continue using polenta more in baking. Mainly baking, as it requires much less attentiveness. Because I’m just lazy. But anyway, here is the recipe.

Cornmeal Currant Crunch
(makes 30 cookies)

1¼ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup polenta
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup caster sugar
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup dried currants (raisins, if currants not available)
½ cup roasted almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 180°C, and line your baking tray with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, polenta, baking powder and salt, set aside
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the lemon zest and beat for 1 minute.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated.
Mix in the currants and almonds.
Take about 2 tablespoons of dough into the palms of your hand and roll into a smooth ball. Then flatten it into a circle and place on baking tray about 2 cm apart. Bake cookies for about 15 minutes, until edges are browned.
Cool on baking tray for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to crisp up.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up the 3 days and the cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

NOTE: It is very important for these cookies to be cooled before transferring to the wire rack as they will break apart if you don’t.

Zested Lemons