Tuesday 16 December 2014

christmas cookies

    SPITZBUBEN / GERMAN

 JAM SANDWICH COOKIES 


Christmas is just around the corner and it’s time to start baking those sweet and decadent desserts.  For me Christmas is very much about tradition which is why my personal go-to inspiration for holiday baking is invariably German. Germans have such an admirable tradition when it comes to Christmas sweets and I for one am a BIG fan. This year I'm kicking off the baking marathon with the beautifully dainty Spitzbuben. You will surely recognize these jam sandwich cookies but I will show you how to make them so that they are flavourful and never dry.

INGREDIENTS:
makes 28 sandwich cookies
  • 2 heaping cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 heaping cup ground almonds
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 200g butter, cold and cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam, or other red jam
  • 1 tsp. brandy, or other fruit liqueur
  • icing sugar for dusting


METHOD:
1.       Using large bowl, bring together flour, ground almonds, sugar, and salt
2.       In small cup, lightly whisk egg then add in the vanilla extract. Pour mixture over the dry ingredients
3.       Add cubed butter to dry ingredients then using your hands, work the butter into the flour until you get a breadcrumb-like consistency. Work the dough a bit more until it begins to come together but do not overwork it
4.       Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling wrap, and place in refrigerator for 2 hours
5.       Preheat oven to 350 F
6.       On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into about half a centimetre sheet. Cut out desired shape using a cookie cutter. Keep re-rolling dough until finished.
7.       Using an apple corer, a very small cookie cutter, or a bottle cap, cut out the centre of half the cookies
8.       Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden. Let cool
9.       Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir brandy or a fruit liqueur into your preferred jam.  Raspberry is ideal but I like to mix it up and use sour cherry jam or a white current and cardamom jam
10.   Place about half a teaspoon of the jam mixture on the underside of a cookie then press it together with one of the cookies with the centers cut out.
11.   Leave to cool then dust with icing sugar

TIP: The cookies keep well for days in an airtight container



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