LINZER SQUARES
1 part cooled basic cookie
dough (recipe follows)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless jam or other suitable
preserve
1 egg slightly beaten
Mix cool dough, chilled 1 hour, with
flour in a medium-size bowl until smooth.
Chill mixture 3 hours.
Roll
about 2/3 cups of the dough to a 9-inch(23 cm) square between 2 sheets of
wax paper.
Slide onto small cookie sheet; freeze 15 minutes.
Remove from
freezer and peel off top sheet of paper. Replace it loosely. Flip dough
and paper over and peel off second sheet. Cut into strips about 3/8
inches(1 cm) wide and return to freezer.
Spread remaining dough in
a lightly greased 9x9x2-inch(23x23x5cm) baking pan lined with wax
paper.
Use floured fingertips to pat dough evenly.
Spread jam or preserve
to within 1/4 inch(1/2 cm) of edges of dough.
Arrange semi-frozen dough
strips criss-cross over jam.
Brush lattice with slightly beaten egg.
Bake
in a moderate oven (375F/190C) for about 7 minutes or until top is golden
brown.
Remove from oven and cool 2 minutes.
Loosen around edges of pan
with a small knife.
Carefully turn out of pan onto a wire rack. Remove and
discard wax paper.
Turn right side up and cool completely.
Cut into 36
squares.
Can be frozen, defrost covered.
BASIC COOKIE DOUGH
4-1/3 cups
all-purpose flour 2 cups granulated sugar
2-3/4 cups cake and pastry flour 4
eggs
1-1/4 teaspoons salt 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 lb(454 g) almond
paste
1 lb(454 g) margarine/butter, softened
1. Mix the flours and
salt onto sheet of waxed paper.
2. Crumble almond paste thoroughly with
fingers into a large bowl to eliminate any lumps before adding other
ingredients. Add margarine/butter; mix with hands until thoroughly blended
and smooth.
3. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla with electric mixer on medium,
until mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add flour mixture, 1/3 at a time,
beating well after each addition.
Use a wooden spoon if dough is too heavy
for the mixer. Divide dough in 4 equal parts.
Wrap each part separately in
plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour before using or store in freezer if it
is to be used another day.
Back to
Cookies
Back to Recipe Page