Raspberry Linzer Bars
This Middle European cookie, made with a linzer-style dough, is reminiscent of the renowned linzertorte, a classic pastry created in Linz, Austria. The dough is commonly made with finely ground almonds, sieved hard-boiled egg yolks, spices, lemon zest, and raspberry preserves. The hard-boiled egg yolks and ground nuts give the dough a unique texture and outstanding flavor.
While many linzer cookies are sandwiched with the jam in the middle, I find it easier to form the dough into logs, make troughs down the centers, and fill them with raspberry preserves. Take care not to make the wells too deep, or the jam will leak through. The logs are sliced on the diagonal, creating beautiful ribbon-like strips with ruby-red centers. Raspberry preserves with seeds make the prettiest cookie, but seedless preserves may be used if you wish.
AT A GLANCE:
Pan: Cookie sheets
Pan Prep: Lightly buttered
Oven Temp: 325 F
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 18 to 20 minutes
Difficulty: “Two cookies”
DOUGH:
4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) whole almonds, with skins
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/3 cup sugar
4 hard-boiled egg yolks, finely sieved
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
TO ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
1/4 cup strained confectioners’ sugar, spooned in and leveled
About 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
MAKE THE DOUGH:
- In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, pulse the almonds and 1/4 cup of the flour four or five times, then process 45 to 50 seconds, or until the mixture is the consistency of fine meal. Add the remaining flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves, and pulse to combine.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the zests on medium-low speed until smooth. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then blend in the sieved yolks and the vanilla, mixing just until blended. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add 1 cup of the flour-almond mixture, then remove the bowl from the machine, scrape the paddle clean, and work in the remaining flour mixture one-third at a time, using a wooden spoon. Divide the dough into thirds and wrap each piece in plastic, then chill for 30 minutes.
SHAPE THE COOKIES:
- Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 325 F. Lightly butter the cookie sheets.
- Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Combine the flour and confectioners’ sugar and stir to blend. Lightly dust a pastry board or other flat surface with the mixture. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the pastry back and forth until it forms a cylinder 10 inches long x 3/4 inch wide. Repeat with remaining pieces.
- Place each cylinder on a cookie sheet and flatten with the heel of your hand until it is approximately 1-1/4-inches wide. Depress the center of the strip with the rounded handle of a kitchen knife or wooden spoon to form a trough running the entire length of the cylinder. Do not make the trough too deep. Hold the sides of the roll as you press to keep it from spreading too much. Each roll should measure 10 inches by 1-1/4-inches.
- Prick the inside of the trough with a fork. Using a dough scraper or thin-bladed knife, partially cut each strip on a slight angle, dividing it into eight 1-inch-wide pieces. Do not cut all the way through.
- Bake the strips for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, depress the centers gently with the handle of a wooden spoon, and fill with about 2 tablespoons of the raspberry preserves, dropping the jam from the tip of a teaspoon. Do not overfill. Continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes longer, or until the preserves start to bubble and the bars are lightly browned. To ensure even browning, toward the end of the baking time, rotate the sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Cut through each bar where there is an indentation. When cool enough to handle, transfer the cookies to cooling racks.
STORAGE:
Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper, for up to 3 weeks. These cookies may be frozen.
COOKIE CHARACTERISTICS:
- Versatile
- Long shelf life
- Fragile
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