Lemon Tassies

Lemon Tassies
The Black Horse Inn, Lynn Pirozzoli

Pearly dollops of whipped topping and a hint of lemon zest dress these tassies for tea.

½ cup of butter or margarine
1 (3-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cups of all purpose flour
Vegetable cooking spray
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/3 cup of water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Fresh whipped topping
Lemon zest

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add flour, beating well. Shape pastry into 24 (1-inch) balls. Press balls into miniature (1 ¾-inch) muffin pans coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes or until golden. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and lemon rind in a heavy saucepan. Gradually add water and lemon juice; stir until blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot mixture into egg; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for one minute or until thickened. Remove from heat. Let cool. Cover and chill thoroughly.

Spoon filling evenly into pastry shells. Top each with whipped topping and lemon zest. Yield: 24 tassies.

Note: Lemon zest is the fragrant outermost skin of the lemon containing oils that add flavor to foods. It’s easily removed using a citrus zester or vegetable peeler. Be sure to remove only the colored part of the skin; the white part beneath, called the pith is bitter.