ENGLISH LEMON-CURD COOKIES

Steps:

• Dough: Combine flour, salt and baking powder in bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy.
• Beat in egg, lemon extract and vanilla until fluffy.
• Stir in flour mixture and pecans.
• Divide dough in half; shape into disks.
• Wrap in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll half of dough 1/8 inch thick.
• With floured 3-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut out dough.
• Place, 1 inch apart, on ungreased baking sheets.
• With floured 1 ½-inch round cookie cutter, cut out centers from half the cookies.
• Reroll centers and trimmings.
• Repeat with other half of dough.
• Bake in 350 degree oven 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Cool on racks.
• Store at room temperature or freeze.
• Curd:
• Micro wave method: using the ingredients called for here and cook as directed in Recipe #61278.
• or.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, rind and butter in saucepan.
• Place pan in skillet half filled with simmering water over medium-low heat.
• Whisk in yolks; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat spoon, 5 minutes (temperature should read 160 degrees); do not boil.
• Pour into small bowl; cover surface directly with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate to chill, 2 hours.
• Sprinkle confectioners' sugar on cookies with cut-out centers.
• Spread 1 tablespoon curd over each cookie without cut-out center; top with sugared cookie, pressing lightly to form sandwich.