Linzer Cookies~ Baking Partners Challenge

Linzer Cookies

Baking partners challenge for February,Valentine month is heart shape Linzer cookies. This recipe was suggested by Swathi. Swathi send us two cookie recipes- Linzer heart cookies and heart shaped crunchy seed cookies.Linzer cookie recipe is egg less almond flavored cookies. It is buttery and delicate sandwiched cookies. The filling is jam/fruit preserve. Try this yummy cookies,you will surely love it.

Adapted from Alice Medrich, Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy

Ingredients
Unbleached all-purpose flour-1 cup 2 tablespoon (5.06 ounces)/145g
Ground almonds and/or hazelnuts-1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) 63g
Sugar-1/4 cup (1.75 ounces)/50g
Salt- 1/8 tsp
Ground Cinnamon- 1/8 tsp
Ground clove- 1/8 tsp
Butter- 8 tbs
Almond extract- 1/8 tsp
Lemon zest- 1 tsp
Orange zest- 1 tsp
Strawberry jam-
Powdered sugar for dusting

Blanch almond and process in food processor till fine powder along with one tsp powdered sugar. (you can also use store brought almond meal)
In a bowl of combine the flour, almond powder, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves , almond extract and the lemon and orange zests or extracts and mix well. Add the butter and mix until mixture looks damp and crumbly. Continue mixing until all the dough comes together. Remove the dough, press it into a ball, and knead it a few times to be sure all of the dry ingredients are blended into the dough.
Press the dough into a flat square and refrigerate for 2 hours till firm and easy to handle
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Remove dough from the plastic wrap and dust with flour.Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch between sheets of wax paper or between heavy plastic sheets . Turn the dough over once or twice while you are rolling it out to check for deep wrinkles, if necessary, peel off and smooth the paper or plastic over the dough before continuing to roll it. Dip the edges of the cookie cutters in flour and cut desired shape and size Cut a smaller shape from the center of half of the large shapes. Using a spatula gently lift each cut out cookie and transfer to cookie sheets. Leave two inch space between each cookie.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes , or until the cookies are just beginning to color at the edges. Rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.

Let the cookies firm up on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes and then transfer the cookies to cooling racks.Before assembly allow the cookies to cool down completely. Sandwich each cookie with a layer of jam( cutout cookie on top of each preserve-covered cookie) and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container.