Linzer Wreaths Recipes

LINZERTORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs and lemon zest; stir until mixture forms a ball. Divide into fourths. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until chilled. , Remove two portions of dough from refrigerator; press each into an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Spread 2/3 cup jam over each., Between two sheets of lightly floured waxed paper, roll one portion of remaining dough into a 10x6-in. rectangle. Cut six 1-in.-wide strips; arrange in a lattice design over jam. Repeat with remaining dough (return dough to the refrigerator if needed). , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly and crust is browned. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

LINZER TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in thirds. Shape each into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. holiday cookie cutters. Using floured 1-in. shaped cookie cutters, cut out the centers of half of the cookies., Place solid and window cookies 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Sprinkle window cookies with additional confectioners' sugar. Spread 1 teaspoon Nutella on the bottom of each solid cookie; place window cookies over filling.

LINZER WREATHS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper orgrease it lightly and set aside.2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, andsalt, then lightly whisk in the hazelnuts and set aside.3. In a stand mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy,about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated,scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in thelemon zest until blended. Turn off the mixer, add half the flour mixture,and beat on low speed until blended. Add the remaining flour and beat untilblended.4. Use lightly floured hands to gather the sticky dough into a ball. Dividethe ball in half and flatten each portion into a 6- to 8-inch disk. Tightlywrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out the firstdisk 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured board, between 2 sheets of parchmentpaper or heavy-duty plastic wrap, or on a pastry cloth with a cloth-coveredrolling pin.5. Lightly dip a 2 1/2-inch wreath-shaped cookie cutter or round biscuit cutterin flour, then firmly press it straight down into the dough. Repeat, cuttingthe cookies close together to avoid rerolling. Using a spatula, carefullytransfer the cookies to the baking sheet. Bake until lightly colored, 10to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.6. Roll out the remaining disk of dough, cut into cookies with the sameround cutter, and use a smaller, 1 1/2-inch round garnish cutter to removethe centers from the cookies. Bake the large and small rounds as directed.(The small rounds will take less time to bake, 7 to 9 minutes.) When cool,lightly spread half the large rounds with black currant preserves. Sift powderedsugar onto the cut-out rounds' frames and carefully set them atopthe jam-spread rounds. Enjoy the mini-rounds on their own.NOTE: Hazelnut meal is available in the baking section of many supermarkets orin specialty markets such as Trader Joe's in the nut section. One brand isBob's Red Mill. Hazelnut meal is finely ground hazelnuts.From Holiday Baking. Text copyright © 2005 by Sara Perry. Photographs copyright © 2005 by Leigh Beisch. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and spices; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in almonds. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. round or cookie cutter. From the center of half the cookies, cut out a 1-1/2-in. shape., Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Spread bottom of each solid cookie with 1/2 teaspoon jam. Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners' sugar; carefully place over jam.