Linzer Augen Recipes

Steps:

• Finely grind the almonds in a food processor, using short pulses. (It may help to put some of the granulated sugar you will be using in with the nuts as you are pulsing them. The sugar will absorb some of the oil that is produced helping to prevent it from becoming almond paste.).
• In a large bowl, beat the butter on high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until combined. Reduce the speed to low. Add the egg yolk, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extracts and beat until blended.
• Sift together the flour, cinnamon and salt into another bowl. Add the ground almonds and stir to blend.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed or stir with a spoon until blended. The dough should be soft.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough into four equal portions and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
• Remove 1 portion of the dough at a time from the refrigerator. Place dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper and roll out 1/4 inch thick.
• Using a cookie cutter or glass about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out the cookies. Using a 1 1/4-inch cutter, cut a hole in the center of only half of the cookies.
• Repeat with the remaining portions of dough, then re-roll the dough scraps as needed to make 24 cutouts total, cutting holes in half of them.
• If the dough becomes sticky, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for 10 minutes before rolling out.
• Using a thin spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are firm to the touch, about 12 minutes.
• Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks. Loosen the cookies with the spatula, but leave the cookies on the sheets until thoroughly cooled.
• To assemble, spread the solid cookies with a thin layer (about 1 tsp.) of preserves to within about 1/4 inch of the edges. Top the solid cookies with the cutout cookies.
• Dust the cookies generously with confectioners' sugar and fill the hole with more jam.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 170°C
• Cream the margarine & sugar(s) until light & fluffy.
• Beat in the egg & vanilla, then gradually fold in the flour & baking powder.
• Mix slowly until a soft dough forms. The dough is very soft & needs handling with care but it shouldn't be sticky. If your dough is still a little sticky, sift in a little extra flour.
• Roll out to about 4mm thick, be sure to flour the rolling pin well.
• Cut out 'tops & bottoms' for your sables.
• Place on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil (shiny side up) & bake for 8 minutes. The sables should be just set but still white.
• Allow the sables to cool on the sheet for a minute then remove to a cold plate or tray to finish cooling.
• When the sables are fully cooled, heat the jam until bubbling.
• Place all the sables tops onto a tray & dust generously with the icing sugar.
• Allow the jam to cool slightly then spoon approx 1/2 tsp of the jam onto the underside of the sables 'bottoms'.
• Then carefully place a 'top' over the blob of jam.
• Allow to set, then store in one layer in an airtight container for upto 10 days.

Steps:

• Place oven rack in the center position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread almonds onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until almonds are lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• Pulse almonds with 1/4 cup white sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
• Whisk flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Beat butter and remaining 1/2 cup white sugar together in a separate bowl until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolks, vanilla extract, ground almond mixture, and flour mixture until just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 3 to 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface; cut into cookies using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Place cookies about 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Cut the centers out of half the cookies using a smaller cookie cutter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned around the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet and lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Spread a thin layer of jam onto the full cookies. Place the cut-out cookies on top of the full cookies; gently sandwich them together. Spoon more jam into the cut-out area.