Linzer Cookies

2020 was the weirdest year ever. For one thing, I had a lot more time to bake but ironically no one to bake for. You would think that would mean I wouldn't feel as stressed out when baking Christmas presents this year. But nope - I had three fewer recipes to find. Which was nice because as of Thanksgiving I was unemployed so I was able to focus on my job search. And also wash the bowls in the dishwasher instead of by hand 😆

For Nonni, I knew one flavor I didn't want to search for: coconut. Looking at my blog posts from previous years, I discovered that I'd made her a coconut-flavored present for the past THREE YEARS! Time to change things up. So I stuck with a flavor combo I've made her before: almond and raspberry. While searching magazine recipes, I came across one for linzer cookies. I've always wanted to make them so I figured why not now? I got the impression that she agreed.

Almond Linzer Cookies with raspberry-lemon jam (Cuisine Cookies, Brownies, & Bars, on shelves until Summer 2014, pg. 17)

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (20 tbs.)
  
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

• 

  Ignore the vanilla extract: my brain was on autopilot

  2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup toasted sliced almonds, finely ground (see notes below)
• 1 tsp. vanilla powder or ground vanilla (NOT VANILLA EXTRACT - see notes below)
• ¼ tsp. table salt
• ¼ tsp. each ground cinnamon and ground cloves

Filling

• ⅓ cup seedless red raspberry jam
• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest (or extract)
• Powdered sugar (optional - I knew it would be messy so I didn't even try)

Directions

1. If necessary, line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter with a mixer until smooth. With mixer running, gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar until fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
3. Combine flour, almonds, vanilla powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves; gradually beat into butter mixture until just blended.
4. Divide dough in half; wrap each in plastic wrap and chill no longer than 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325°F
6. Roll each dough half on a lightly floured surface to ⅛-inch thick. Cut cookies with a 3-inch cookie cutter, then cut out centers of half with 1 ½-inch cutter (see notes below); transfer cookies and cutouts wo prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps once.
7. Bake cookies until golden, 15 minutes; let cool on baking sheets 1-2 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
8. Stir together jam and zest. Sprinkle hollow cookies and cutouts with powdered sugar. Spread ½ tsp. jam mixture on solid cookies. Sandwich solid cookies, then fill centers of layered cookies with about ¼ tsp. filling mixture as needed.

• I've never toasted almonds before even though many recipes call for it. My only excuse was that I was lazy since many Food Network shows state that it helps enhance the almond flavor. Since the recipe only calls for half a cup I just used my toaster oven and followed the instructions here (I also found an alternative here). Basically you spread the almonds (any form works - sliced, whole, slivered) on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake them at 350F for 7-8 minutes. To ground them, a food processor works (maybe also a spice grinder if you have one but you might have to do it in batches as most I've seen are small).
• Vanilla powder is a bit hard to find. If you're trying to avoid Amazon (which I unfortunately couldn't) there are some specialty food sites and stores that carry it. You can also make it on your own: according to this site, you get a vanilla bean (most grocery stores have them with the other spices, extracts, etc., but they're pricey and only one or two beans per container) and either leave it out for several weeks or stick it in an oven at 122°F for about 1.5 hours and let cool. Then grind it in either a food processor or spice grinder. According to the site I found, 1 bean = 1 tsp of vanilla powder. I screwed up though: I only left the bean out for 2 weeks and it wasn't stiff enough so when it was time to turn it into a powder, I wasn't successful. And since it was already halfway dry, I wasn't sure how long to stick it in the oven to avoid burning. I have a feeling it'll be ready to grind if it breaks when you try to bend it.
• An awesome tip I've learned from Food Network for cookies like this: do the center cutouts first and add the scraps to the dough for the base cookie.