Langue de Chat

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven and baking sheets
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Have a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip (about 1/2 inch or 1 cm) ready.
2. Cream butter and sugar
   In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Make sure there are no lumps of sugar remaining.
3. Add remaining wet ingredients
   Gradually add the egg whites to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and juice if using, then mix until combined.
4. Incorporate dry ingredients
   Gently fold in the sifted flour and salt using a spatula or wooden spoon, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix as this can make the cookies tough.
5. Pipe the cookies
   Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag. Pipe thin strips about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long and 1/2 inch (1 cm) wide onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches (5 cm) between each cookie as they will spread during baking.
6. Bake the cookies
   Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Watch them carefully as they can go from perfect to over-baked very quickly due to their delicate nature.
7. Cool and store
   Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp up as they cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.