Toasted Almond and Blueberry Jam Sandwich Cookies

Submitted by grandma2969

"These are soft blubeberry jam cookies that can of course be filled with other flavors..rolling of this soft dough between sheets of wax paper to prevent it from sticking to the rolling surface is necessary"

 

• Ready In: 43mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 10 cookie sandwiches

ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup whole blanched almond, toasted, finely ground
• 6 tablespoons blueberry jam
• powdered sugar, for dusting

directions

1. sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl,using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth and slightly lightened in color, about 1 minute on low speed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.
3. On low speed, mix in the vanilla, almond extract and ground toasted almonds.(see note at bottom).
4. Mix in the flour mixture just until the flour is incorporated adn the dough holds together.
5. Divide the dough in half and form in two 6" disks.
6. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough until it is cold and firm enough to roll, about 40 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
8. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator.
10. Put the dough between 2 large sheets of wax paper and roll it into a rectangle about 12 x 8" and 1/4" thick.
11. Remove the top sheet of wax paper and discard it.
12. Use a cookie cutter to cut out 3 1/2" circles (or any shape you like) from the dough, leaving the cookies on the wax paper.
13. Turn the wax paper over, peel off the paper and use a metal spatula to help place the circles 1" apart on one of the prepared pans--(the cookies do not spread much).
14. Set aside the dough scraps.
15. Using a clean piece of wax paper, roll and cut the second piece of dough.gather together all the dough scraps, forming a smooth disc and repeat the rolling and cutting process -- you should have 20 cookies.
16. Cut a 1" circle (or other shape) from the center of half of the cookies and remove those shapes(circles) from the cookies. The wide end of a pastry tube works well for cutting the circles -- the dough "holes" can be baked along with the cookies for snacks.
17. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the edges are light brown and the tops firm, about 18 minutes.
18. Cool, the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets and then wide a wide metal spatula, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completley.
19. Turn the cookies without the holes, bottom side up leaving a 1/4" plain edges, spread a rounded tsp of jam over each one.
20. Sift powdered sugar over the cookies with holes, and place them on top of the jam-covered cookies.
21. The cookie sandwiches can be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
22. The prep time does not include chilling time.
23. I find that toasting whole almonds takes me about 15 minutes. In a 325° preheated oven in single. I can always start to smell them just before they are golden. I cool them before finely chopping them or grinding them in a food processor.