Linzer Cookies Tested Recipe

Linzer Cookies Recipe

At one time we baked from recipes passed down from one generation to the next or from recipes given to us by friends and neighbors. Today we have access to recipes from around the world and are able to cross boundaries and bake desserts that were once unfamiliar to us. An example of this is the Linzertorte which is one of Austria's most famous desserts. Believed to have originated in the City of Linz, written recipes began to appear in the early 1700s. Traditionally this torte consisted of a crust made with flour, ground nuts (traditionally almonds), sugar, egg yolks, spices and lemon zest that was filled with preserves (jam) and then topped with a lattice crust.

This recipe for Linzer Cookies uses the same ingredients as the Linzertorte but presents them in a different way; that is, two cookies are sandwiched together with a layer of preserves or jam. (Jam and preserves are similar in that they are both a cooked combination of fruit and sugar (and sometimes pectin). The difference being that preserves still contain chunks of fruit, whereas jam is more like a fruit puree.) Traditionally these cookies are filled with black currant preserves but as black currant preserves are hard to find in North America we usually fill them with a variety of different flavored preserves, most notably raspberry. The top cookie, dusted with confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, has a cutout so the preserves are visible. When cut into a round shape with a round cutout they are known as Linzer "Eyes" (Linzer Augen).

There are two types of Linzer Cookie dough; White and Brown. For the white Linzer Cookie dough, blanched almonds are used which keeps the dough white in color. For the brown Linzer Cookie dough, the nuts are toasted (used here). Either way, to prevent the toasted nuts from turning into a paste when ground, some of the sugar from the recipe is added during processing. The sugar absorbs the oil from the nuts and prevents the nuts from turning into a paste.


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Linzer Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes (or until lightly browned and fragrant). Once the nuts have cooled, place in a food processor and process with 1/4 cup (50 grams) of the sugar from the recipe until finely ground.

In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Beat in the ground nuts. Add the flour mixture beating just until incorporated. Divide the dough in half and shape into two rectangles about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick. Wrap the two rectangles of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour and up to several days).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one rectangle of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch (1 cm) thick. Using a 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cookie cutter (round, square, heart, etc.) cut out the dough. Place the cookies about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use a smaller cookie cutter (3/4 - 1 inch) (2.5 cm) to cut out the centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. (You will be sandwiching two cookies together and there will be a small 'window or cut out' in the top cookie so you can see the jam underneath.)

Reroll any scraps and cut out the cookies. Remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and roll and cut out the rest of the cookies. Bake the cookies for 12 - 14 minutes or until they are very lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

While the cookies are cooling place the raspberry jam in a small saucepan and heat gently until it has thickened slightly. Strain if there are any lumps in the jam. Let cool.

To Assemble Cookies: Place the cookies with the cut-outs on a wire rack and lightly dust the tops with the confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar.

On the bottom surface of the full cookie (top of cookie will face out) spread with about a 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Place the cut-out cookie on top and gently sandwich them together, making sure not to smug the confectioners' sugar. Using a small spoon, fill the cut-out with a little more jam.

Note: You can store the unassembled cookies in the refrigerator for several days in an airtight container. It is best, though, to assemble the cookies the same day as serving in order to keep the cookies crisp..

Makes about 20 - 2 inch (5 cm) sandwiched cookies.

Linzer Cookies Recipe:

1 cup (110 grams) blanched or sliced almonds

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (227 grams) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar, divided

1 teaspoon purevanilla extract

2 large (40 grams) egg yolks

Zest of 1 lemon (outer yellow skin of lemon)

Confectioners' (Icing or Powdered) Sugar for dusting

1/2 cup (120 ml) Raspberry or Black Currant Preserves or Jam (can use other flavored preserves or jam)

References:

Malgieri, Nick. Cookies Unlimited. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2000.

Rodgers, Rick. Kaffeehaus. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2002.