LEMON TEA CAKES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar for sprinkling

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into small bowl and set aside.

In large bowl, using electric mixer set at high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and continue beating about 2 minutes, until mixture is light in color and fluffy. Add lemon zest, egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in thirds until just blended. Form dough into a thick, flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Place racks in the top third and center of oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, in batches, roll out dough 1/4-inch thick, and cut using 3-inch round cookie cutter. Place rounds on ungreased cookie sheets, about 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle each cookie with 1/8 teaspoon sugar and gently press into dough. Scraps can be rerolled once. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough.

Bake cookies 3 minutes; then switch positions of cookie sheets from top to bottom, and continue baking until cookies are barely brown around edges, about 6 minutes. (Take care not to overbake tea cakes -- they can become too crunchy.) Let them cool on sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen
Source: Elizabeth Softky for San Jose Mercury News, June 7, 2000