Classic Linzer Hearts

My German boyfriend loves when I make these for him. It is his favorite cookie that I make. These are more traditional European flavors than most American cookies have. The subtle blend of spices is perfect when the weather is cool. You can increase the spices if you like a more intense flavor. This dough is difficult to work with, but is well worth the effort.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 18

Ingredients

• 1 2⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  pastry flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 16  tablespoons unsalted butter (softened, not melted)
• 2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1  cup  finely ground hazelnuts or 1  cup  almonds or 1  cup pecans
• 1  cup  seedless raspberry jam
•  confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. You will also need: cookie sheet and parchment paper.
2. Combine flour and spices together in a bowl.
3. Beat together butter and sugar for 5 minutes. Electric mixer at medium speed, with a paddle attachment gives best results.
4. Lower speed and add almonds and flour/spice mixture. Finish mixing dough with rubber spatula as needed.
5. Roll dough into 2 balls, and then flatten with hands or rolling pin onto sheets of plastic wrap. Once dough is about 1/2 inch thick, completely wrap dough and chill until firm. Dough will be ready in about an hour, but can be left for days.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.
7. Take out 1 roll of chilled dough. Gently roll or pound with hands soften. Roll to 1/4 inch thick.
8. Use 2 different sized heart shaped cookie cutters to cut the dough. Use the smaller one on half of the hearts to make a "window".
9. Place dough on parchment paper on cookie sheets.
10. Scrap remaining dough together and roll out. Switch this dough out for the chilled dough. Roll out more cookies as above.
11. Bake cookies about 15 minutes or until pale golden.
12. While cookies are baking reduce jam in small pot on the stove top. Let it boil, then lower heat to simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened.
13. Once cookies are cool, dust windowed hearts with confectioner's sugar.
14. Place spoonful of jam on backside of whole hearts. Place windowed piece on top to make a sandwich with raspberry jam showing through window.
15. Store cookies in sealed container between sheets of parchment paper.