Butterscotch-Miso and Candied Lemon Cookies
While it is often used in savoury recipes, miso paste can add an incredible depth of flavour in baked treats. These cookies are the perfect example; they are perfectly sweet and dotted with candied lemon peel and butterscotch.
Introduction
The salty miso-enriched cookie is a modern gastronomic powerhouse in every one of its guises. My contribution to this genre counters the savoury depth of miso with zesty candied lemon peel and the nostalgic sugary crunch of hard butterscotch candies. A brush of lemony syrup adds an extra hit of tang, ensuring that these cookies will ignite every tastebud in your mouth at once. From my experience, they are moreish in a way that can become all consuming – so it’s probably best to make a double batch from the get-go.
Ingredients
| 2 | unwaxed lemons |
| 235g (8½oz) | caster (superfine) sugar, plus extra for coating the peel |
| 4 tbsp | water |
| 240g (8½oz) | very soft butter |
| 2-3 tbsp | white miso (to taste; I like more!) |
| 125g (4½oz) | light brown sugar |
| 50g (1¾oz) | demerara sugar, plus extra for rolling and decorating (optional) |
| 1 large | egg |
| 1½ tsp | vanilla bean paste |
| 375g (13oz) | plain (all-purpose) flour |
| 1 tsp | bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) |
| ½ tsp | fine sea salt |
| 75g (2½oz) | hard butterscotch candies (about 15) |
Method
Preheat the oven to 120°C fan/140°C/275°F/Gas mark 1 and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, carefully remove the peel from the lemons with as little of the white pith as possible. Slice the peels into very thin (matchstick) strips.
Measure into a small saucepan 85g (3oz) of the caster sugar, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and the 4 tablespoons of water. Place over a medium–high heat until fully dissolved. Add the strips of lemon peel and simmer for 10–12 minutes until the peel turns translucent.
Drain into a bowl through a sieve – keeping the lemony syrup – and pressing down to remove as much liquid from the peel as possible. Spread out over the lined sheet and bake in the low oven for 20–22 minutes until completely dry – tossing and turning halfway through. Remove from the oven, dust with extra caster sugar and leave to cool completely.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, miso, the remaining 150g (5½oz) of caster sugar, the soft brown sugar and the demerara sugar until completely smooth. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste to the bowl, then beat for another minute, scraping down the sides to ensure everything is fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Use a rolling pin to bash the butterscotch candies into small shards, then add these to the bow
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