a good friend of mine, alexis, loves linzer cookies. really, he is the only person i know who actually gets excited about these little guys. usually offered as a complementary mini desert at fancy lunch cafes, these cookies don't get enough face time - other than at christmas and with old ladies. but alexis has shown me the way, not consciously, but nonetheless his excitement put them back on my radar. i love it; a grown man who is very, very choosey about just about everything - but especially food - reenacts the same scene every time they are presented. "ooh! i love these!" then he would proceed to finger dive toward the cookies, bring back one between his pointer finger and thumb. bite by bite the cookie would evaporate and never left a distance greater than 6" from his face. mind you, alexis is much to classy to let the conversation go astray during this whole process, so my observations were always done under the radar. but i noticed it and was always taken back by it. i mean, wouldn't you rather a dark chocolate truffle or something?
but i get it now! i realize where my misunderstanding was: i was shortchanging this cookie by assuming it was just a pair of sugar cookies housing some sticky-sweet jam. yeah, no. linzer cookies are more a pastry dough than a cookie dough. it's divinely simple; no chemicals, no eggs and no added flavorings. just the basics and some technique - well, and some jam. cinnamon is the secret weapon here; it brings just enough complexity to keep you interested. the cookies themselves are slightly flakey and melt once in your mouth - similar to a tart shell - while the jam gives that quick punch of bright fruit flavor everyone loves.
it's coming back around for poker night tomorrow, so i decided to get festive this time around - hence the funny cut outs.
LINZER COOKIES
5oz butter, soft
1/3c sugar
1 1/4c flour
1/4c almond flour
pinch salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
*cream butter and sugar together
*in a separate bowl sift together the flours, salt and cinnamon
*gradually mix in the dry ingredients into the creamed butter
*separate the dough in two
*sandwich each piece between two sheets of wax paper and roll out to 1/8" thick
*lay flat and chill for at least an hour or until very firm
*preheat oven to 350 F
*cut 1 1/2" rounds with a biscuit cutter, cut out the centers of half
*bake for 10-15 minutes
*let cool completely before sprinkling the cut out cookies with powdered sugar then spreading your jam of choice - i used strawberry - onto one side of solid round.
* you know what to do next!
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