Devine delight: how to make delicate melting moments with velvety lemon cream

My grandma – she of the peanut butter biscuits fame – could make melting moments blindfolded with one hand tied behind her back. However, spreading the lemon cream posed a challenge without the use of both hands.

These were my second favourite biscuit growing up.

My Mum refused to bake them because had an extra step – spreading the lemon cream. But she often purchased them at cafés.

These delicate melting moments with velvety lemon cream bring a blissful end to your afternoon tea but can be savoured at any time.

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What is a Melting moment?

These biscuits are called “melting moments” because they are so soft and tender, they seem to melt in your mouth as you take a bite.

This Australian café staple is two buttery, crumbly biscuits or cookies, similar to a shortbread, sandwiched together with a delicate buttercream filling.

Melting moments are often confused with yoyos, another soft, shortbread-like cooky sandwiched together with icing or buttercream. Yoyos contain custard powder (which is common in the UK or Australia, but is not readily available in Germany).

Light and very simple to make, these biscuits are made up of only a handful of ingredients: butter, flour, icing sugar and cornstarch. This secret ingredient and the absence of eggs gives melting moments their unique texture, and their name.

Why melting moments with lemon cream need to be part of your afternoon tea spread

The title of this posts says these melting moments are simple, buttery and delicate. Every part of this description is true. And that’s exactly why you want to make these melting moments part of your afternoon tea spread.

They complement dainty finger sandwiches, warm, fresh scones, and delicious slices Victoria sandwich, heady with vanilla. They’re a delicious little mouthful to finish a delightful afternoon tea.

They are also beautiful and simple, and can be made in advance. Do you need another reason?

This recipe is for traditional (vanilla) melting moments with lemon cream. But numerous variations exist. I love passionfruit melting moments (with passionfruit curd instead of lemon juice in the cream) and we’ve just tried a delicious recipe for strawberry gin melting moments (we’ll share it soon!).

What you need to know about the ingredients

This recipe requires few ingredients, so it is important to select them purposefully.

Butter

Use good quality butter. Butter is one of the key ingredients in these melting moments with lemon cream. High-quality unsalted butter with a high fat content will give your biscuits a rich and buttery flavor.

The butter must also be at room temperature to ensure it creams well. Remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you need to use it.

Icing sugar

Use icing (powdered) sugar, not caster sugar. Icing sugar will make your biscuits lighter and crumbly.

Sift it before using to ensure there are no lumps. Cause nobody likes lumpy biscuits…

Vanilla

Use vanilla paste or vanilla extract and not vanilla essence or vanilla sugar. Vanilla paste or real vanilla extract will add flavour and aroma to your biscuits.

When a recipe is so simple – as these Melting moments are – vanilla essence can add a slightly artificial taste.

Cornflour

Cornflour, also known as cornstarch, helps make these melting moments light and just the right level of crumbly. Sift the flour and cornflour into the butter mix to ensure there are no lumps.

Can you use cake flour? Quite probably. It is not readily available in Germany for me to be able to test it, so I would have to mix my own anyway. You still might need to add a little extra cornflour to get the right proportions of flour and cornflour.

7 tips for the perfect melting moments

Don’t overmix: Overmixing can lead to tough biscuits, the antithesis of what these melting moments with lemon cream should be. Mix the dough just until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Cut the biscuits into equal sizes: Roll the dough into a log then cut into 20-24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a tray. This will ensure the biscuits are all the same size (which makes it easier when sticking the two sides together with lemon cream).

Flour the fork: Pressing the dough balls with a fork helps ensure even cooking. Let’s face it, it also makes them look cute. Lightly flour the fork before using it to press the dough balls. This will stop the fork from sticking.

Cool the dough: If your dough is warm or it is a warm day, your melting moments may spread too much in the oven. To prevent this happening, place the rolled and flattened dough balls in the fridge on their tray for about 15 minutes before baking.

Bake at the right temperature: Bake your biscuits at 350°F (180°C) for about 8 to 10 minutes. Baking at a higher temperature may cause the biscuits to brown too quickly on the outside while still being raw on the inside. They are cooked when they are just lightly golden around the edges and firm when gently touched.

Leave the biscuits on the baking tray for a few minutes. These are delicate biscuits and are very soft when they come out of the oven. If you try and transfer them to a wire rack too early, they will crumble and break. Use a (metal) spatula to transfer them as they will crumble in your fingers.

Cool the biscuits before assembling: Let the biscuits cool completely before assembling. If the biscuits are still warm when you try and assemble them, the lemon cream will melt and the biscuits will slide (and break). Simply, it would be a disappointing waste.

How to store these melting moments

This recipe only makes a few melting moments. If you’re lucky you will have only made enough melting moments with lemon cream for your afternoon tea. When they’ve all been eaten, you will not have to worry about storage. Yes, they’re really that good.

However, you might also want to prepare them in advance – then storage will be needed. Once assembled, store them in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Line the container with paper towel to help “soak up” excess fat from the butter. If you need, they can be stored for up to a week in the fridge (or up to two weeks if you still need to add the lemon cream).

What about freezing them? You can often freeze unbaked cookie dough. This dough, however, tends to dry out in the freezer.

It’s not a problem though because these melting moments with lemon cream can also be stored in the freezer for up to two months. While you can freeze them with the cream in, it is much better to freeze the basic biscuits and spread them with fresh lemon cream when you want to eat them.

To freeze, allow the vanilla biscuits to cool completely and store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag in the freezer for one to two months. For best results, wrap them in wax paper before placing them in the container or bag.

A divine end to your afternoon tea

You may have a favourite cookie, but these delightful melting moments with lemon cream can still become your second favourite.

Light, delicate, buttery biscuits that melt in your mouth, sandwiched together with a velvety cream with just a hint of lemon tang, these melting moments are the perfect way to finish your afternoon tea in a blissful bite.

Can you imAGINE A MORE BLISSFUL DISH TO END YOUR AFTERNOON TEA?

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