Lemon Cream Pastries: Soft and Delicious Treats

In a saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth.

Pour in the milk, and place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture comes to a boil, then cook for about 30 seconds until thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter, mixing until fully incorporated. Finally, add the lemon juice and zest, transferring the mixture to a clean container. Cover directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy. Incorporate the whole egg and egg yolk, then mix in the milk gradually.

Add the lemon juice and zest, stirring well. Sift in the flour with the baking powder and salt, then knead until you form a soft dough.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Once chilled, roll the dough into 40 grams (about 1.5 ounces) balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly flatten the balls and form the edges into points.

Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 165-170°C (329-338°F) for about 20 minutes until they are slightly golden.

Transfer the cooled lemon curd to a piping bag. Fill each cookie half generously with the filling and press the halves together gently.

For decoration, brush the filled pastries with orange juice and roll them in sugar. Add food coloring as desired for a festive touch.