Swedish Lemon Angels

Swedish Lemon Angels
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, beat an egg until foamy. Add 1/2 a cup of buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup vinegar) and 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence and blend well. Add 5 tbsps baking soda, one teaspoonful at a time, sprinkling it in and beating until the mixture is smooth and the consistency of light cream. Add 1 cup of lemon juice all at once and blend into the mixture. Stir, but do not beat (you want it creamy, but without a lot of air). The mixture will congeal into a pasty lump. Scoop it out of the bowl with a spatula and spread it on a floured surface. Sift 7/8 cup plain flour and 3/4 cup of sugar together and use the fingertips to work it into the egg- lemon mixture. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out as thin as you can and with the tip of a sharp knife, cut out 'angel' shapes and twist the edges up to form a shell-like curve about 3/8" high. Sprinkle on more sugar. Brush each 'angel' with melted butter. Place the angels one inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.