Linzer Macaroon Sandwiches Recipes

LINZER MACAROON SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely grind 1 2/3 cups slivered almonds and 1 1/3 cups sugar in processor. Add egg whites and almond extract; process until well blended (dough will be sticky).
• Using slightly rounded teaspoonful for each cookie, roll dough between damp palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Flatten each ball slightly to 1 1/4-inch-diameter round. Gently press a few sliced almonds into each cookie.
• Bake cookies until light golden, about 18 minutes. Slide parchment with cookies onto racks; cool completely.
• Stir preserves and 2 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoon raspberry preserves onto flat side of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, flat side down. Press to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and preserves. (Can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month. Cookies may soften slightly.) Sift powdered sugar over cookies.

LINZER HEART SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Mix on low to combine, then raise to medium speed and cream until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Scrape the bowl and mix another few seconds. Add the all-purpose flour and almond flour and blend on low until combined. The dough will be very stiff. Once mixed, use your hand to incorporate any remaining flour by pressing and turning the dough around in the bowl.
• Take about half of the dough and roll out between two pieces of parchment to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a light sprinkling of all-purpose flour if the dough sticks to the parchment.
• For the cookie tops, cut out 16 to 18 cookies with a floured 2 3/4-inch heart-shaped cutter and arrange on one of the prepared baking sheets. Cut out the center of each solid heart with a smaller (such as 1 3/4-inch) heart-shaped cutter.
• For the cookie bottoms, gather the scraps and the other half of the dough and reroll. Cut out 16 to 18 more 2 3/4-inch hearts. Leave them solid and arrange on the second prepared baking sheet (see Cook's Note).
• Bake the cookie tops, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Bake the solid heart cookie bottoms, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking, until golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the trays before filling.
• Lightly dust the cookie tops with confectioners' sugar and set aside.
• Use a butter knife or small offset spatula to spread 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of jam over each cookie bottom. Carefully add the cookie tops. Place the remaining jam into a resealable plastic bag, snip off the end and pipe a bit into the center of each heart to fill in the space. The sandwich cookies can be store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

LINZER SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spread hazelnuts in ungreased shallow baking pan. Bake uncovered about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove loose skins (some skins may not come off); cool 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off oven.
• In food processor bowl with metal blade, place nuts and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar . Cover; process with about 10 on-and-off pulses, 2 to 3 seconds each, until nuts are finely ground but not oily.
• In small bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 3 minutes or until smooth. Add nut mixture; beat about 1 minute or until mixed. Beat in egg and vanilla. With spoon, stir in flour mixture about 1 minute or just until blended. Shape dough into 2 balls; flatten each ball into a disk. Wrap separately in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours until firm.
• Heat oven to 425°F. Remove 1 dough disk from refrigerator. On well floured surface, roll dough with floured rolling pin until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter in desired shape. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts about 1 inch apart.
• Roll and cut other half of dough. Using a 1-inch square or round cutter, cut out the center of half of the cookies. Reroll dough centers and cut out more cookies.
• Bake 4 to 5 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool about 10 minutes.
• Lightly sprinkle powdered sugar over cookies with center cutouts. Or drizzle with powdered sugar icing, and sprinkle with colored sugars or decors. Spread about 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over bottom side of each whole cookie. Top with a cutout cookie. Cool completely, about 1 hour.