Friday, 29 July 2011

christmas in july: linzer tarts

although we've got plenty of time before the holiday season rolls around, never too early for a classic!  linzer tarts have become my tradition, while mom still makes sheets of sugar cookies.  you can use any size/shape cutter you want, and worth buying a set of various sized fluted cutters.  after a few trials, i find rolling them a bit thinner than stated works best as they rise slightly and are layered.  why wait until december though? these are fun to assemble, pretty too look at and always a crowd pleaser.

                                            
thanks ina!..

mini linzer cookies
the ingredients:
¾ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups flour
¾ cup good raspberry preserves (bonne maman is my fave)
icing sugar (confectioners' sugar)for dusting
the temperature: 180C (350F)
the preparation:
in the bowl of an electric mixer (or handheld) fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. add the vanilla. in a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.


roll the dough 1/4-inch thick and cut 2 3/4-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. with 1/2 of the rounds, cut a hole from the middle of each round with a heart or spade shaped cutter. place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.
bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. allow to cool to room temperature. spread raspberry preserves on the flat side of each solid cookie. dust the top of the cut-out cookies with confectioners' sugar and press the flat sides together, with the raspberry preserves in the middle and the confectioners' sugar on the top.

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