Linzer Hearts

Ding Dong the sickness is finally gone!  I got all kinds of Christmas-like in the kitchen today.  I made a gingerbread cake that dated back to the 19th century.  It was really interesting.  Great texture, moist but really really strong in flavor.....a gallon of molasses.  My daughter and I thought is was a nice history project anyway.  So, we decided we had to made something very yummy to get the molasses taste out of our memories.  These cookies did the trick.  Little yummy German Christmas cookies.  I love them with raspberry jam in the center but the cookbook recommended dipping half of the cookie in melted chocolate.  Either way they are great!

Linzer Hearts

Baking: From My Home to Yours

1 1/2 cup finely ground almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

Scant 1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 large egg

2 tsp water

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup raspberry jam

Whisk together the ground nuts, flour, cinnamon, salt and cloves.  Using a fork, stir the egg and water together in a small bowl.

Working with a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together at medium seed until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Add the egg mixture and beat for 1 minute more.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the dough.  Don't work the dough much once the flour is incorporated.  If the dough comes together but some dry crumbs remain int he bottom of the bowl, stop the mixer and finish blending the ingredients with a rubber spatula or your hands.

Divide the dough in half.  Working with one half at a time, put the dough between two large sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap.  Using you hands, flatten the dough into a disk, then grab a rolling pin and roll the dough, turning it over frequently and lifting the paper so it doesn't cut into it, until it is about 1/4 inch thick.  Leave the dough in the paper, and repeat with the second piece of dough.  Transfer the wrapped dough to a baking sheet or cutting board (to keep it flat) and refrigerator or freeze it until it is very firm, about 2 hours in the refrigerator and about 45 minutes in freezer.

Center the rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Peel off the top sheet of wax paper from one piece of dough and, using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can.  Set the scraps aside - you'll combine them with the scraps from the second disk and roll, cut and bake more cookies.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden, dry and just firm to the touch.  Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Bring 1/2 cup of raspberry jam and 1 tsp water to a boil.  Let jam cool slightly before using.  Sandwich jam in between two cookies.