These Hermit Cups get their name from the spiral swirl of mascarpone icing on top of Lemon Curd Cookie Cups. They come in bite size shapes that mix components of sweet, sour, and a bit of cinnamon spice for the perfect taste in a cookie. The best part is the simple ingredients we use in these cookie cups means you can make this recipe throughout the whole year, not just during the holidays. You could even experiment with different types of curds like cherry or strawberry curd for the summertime.
Tips for Perfecting a Lemon Curd
To create a velvety smooth and tangy lemon curd you have to start with fresh, juicy lemons. Zest the lemons to capture their bright citrus flavor and then squeeze the juice to add acidity. For an extra burst of flavor you can even add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a splash of orange liqueur to your lemon curd. When you go to cook the curd, make sure it’s over low heat. You’ll have to stir continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Lastly, let the curd cool slightly before transferring it to a jar and refrigerating, trust us you’ll want to keep the additional curd.
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Hermit Cups (Lemon Curd Cookie Cups)
- Yield: 3 1/2 dozen 1x
Description
These creative little cups holds a whole lot of flavor.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Cups:
- ¼ lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/3 cup golden raisins (minced)
- 1/3 cup crystallized ginger (not in syrup, minced)
- Spiced rum, such as Captain Morgan
For the Lemon Curd:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces
For the Mascarpone Icing:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
For the Cookie Cups:
- With a stand mixer, cream together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg, scraping down the bowl every so often. Mix in the molasses.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. With your mixer on low, add these dry ingredients into the butter mixture in thirds, scraping down the bowl in between each addition. Mix in the raisins and crystallized ginger until just combined. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.
- The dough should chill for at least an hour, but you can also let it chill for up to 24 hours.
- When you’re ready, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease a mini muffin pan, and measure out PRECISELY a 1 tablespoon ball of dough for each bin. This dough dries out and/or collapses very easily in the oven, so be careful to measure out the precise amount.
- Press down in the center of each ball with your thumb, making a little cup with it. Do not push the sides all the way to the edge of the bin; just make a thumb-sized imprint in the center.
- Bake in the center rack for 10 minutes. Again, be careful with how long you cook these, since you don’t want the dough to crisp too much.
- Let the cups cool in the pan for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack. While they’re still warm, poke the centers of the cups with a toothpick about four times each, and pour 1/2 teaspoon of rum into each cup.
- Let cool completely on the racks, then cover and move the cups to the refrigerator.
For the Lemon Curd:
- Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Whisk the yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in the top of the boiler constantly as eggs cook. Whisk until curd thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the curd mixture from the heat and whisk in the cut butter until it is entirely incorporated.
- Place the curd in a jar and cover it. Let cool completely in the refrigerator.
- Directly before you’re ready to use it, press the curd through a fine mesh sieve.
For the Mascarpone Icing:
- In a large, chilled mixer bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and lemon juice until you get soft peaks.
- Add in the mascarpone cheese and mix until hard peaks.
To Assemble:
- Place a small dollop of lemon curd in each of the cups. This curd recipe is precisely enough to fit every cup.
- Pipe some mascarpone icing on top of each cup with the curd.
- Dust the top with cinnamon.
Recipe by Alexander Murph / Styling by Julia Platt Leonard / Photography by Tira Howard
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