Linzer Cookies (Dorie Greenspan)

blucoat's Note:

This cookie recipe for Linzer Sables require a little effort, but they are so beautiful and tasty. The recipe is from one of my favourite cookbooks, "Baking: From My Home to Yours", by Dorie Greenspan. For a simpler cookie, omit the cutouts, although it does make beautiful cookies. You can dust these with confectioner's sugar just before serving. Both dough and cookies freeze well (without the sugar dusting). Dough requires 45 minute chilling time.

• Total Time: 41 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 11 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 25 cookies

• 1 ½ cups finely groundalmonds or 1 ½ cups hazelnuts or 1 ½ cups walnuts
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly grated cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground clove
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons water
• ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temp
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup raspberry jam

Directions:

1. Whisk together the ground nuts, flour, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Using a fork, stir the egg and the water together in a small bowl.
2. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed until smooth (about 3 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the egg mixture and beat for 1 minute more. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough. Don't work the dough much, and if dry crumbs remain on the bottom of the bowl, mix the dough by hand or with a spatula.
3. Divide the dough in half. Put the dough between two large sheets of plastic wrap, and press down with your hands until fairly flat. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is around 1/4 inch thick. Make sure that at this time you make sure the dough is not stuck to the plastic wrap. Place on a chopping board (still covered with plastic wrap) and place in the freezer for 45 minute.
4. Center a rack in the oven, and preheat to 375°F Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Take out the dough from the freezer. Remove the plastic wrap from 1/2. Cut out the shapes. If you want a peekaboo cutout, use a piping tip to cut a small circle in the center of 1/2 the cookies. Save the scrapes, so that you can combine them with the other half's worth of scraps, and re-freeze to make more cookies.
6. Place cut outs on the baking sheet, and bake for 11-13 minute or until they are lightly golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat with the other half of the dough. When cool, spread the jam on.