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Christmas: Linzer Cookies

Source of Recipe


Ladies' Home Journal






List of Ingredients



• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup toasted, skinned hazelnuts, ground
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  
• 3/4 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
  
• 2/3 cup sugar
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
  
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
  
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
  






Instructions



1. Heat oven to 375° F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
   
   
2. Combine flour, hazelnuts, cinnamon, baking powder and cloves in a large bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and lemon peel. At low speed, beat in flour mixture just until combined.
   
   
3. Divide dough into thirds. Roll each piece of dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured waxed paper until 1/8-inch thickness. Refrigerate until firm, 10 minutes. Uncover and cut out with 3-inch horn-, saxophone-, or cello-shaped cookie cutter. Transfer cut-outs to prepared baking sheets. With a 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut out centers of half of the unbaked cookies. Reserve scraps. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, just until golden brown on edges. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Repeat process with remaining dough, re-rolling and cutting scraps.
   
   
4. Microwave white chocolate chips in a small microwave-proof bowl on HIGH 1 minute 30 seconds. Microwave semisweet chocolate in another microwave-proof bowl on HIGH 1 minute. Let cool 5 minutes. Spoon into 2 small resealable plastic storage bags; cut a very small hole in one corner of each bag.
   
   
5. Decoratively pipe chocolates on top of each cookie with cut-out. Let stand 30 minutes, until chocolate sets. Spread 3/4 teaspoon jam on top of each cookie with a cut-out. Top each jam cookie with a cut-out cookie.
   
   Makes about 1-1/2 dozen.
   
   
   -- Deborah and Richard Rivera, Ambrosia Patisserie
   
   






Final Comments


To toast hazelnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° F until lightly browned and skins are crackly, 12 to 15 minutes. Wrap nuts in a clean kitchen towel and let stand 5 minutes. Rub nuts in the towel to remove skins; cool completely.