Linzer Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Beat margarine at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended. Add flour, beating at low speed until blended.
• Roll dough into small balls and place on greased cookie sheets, two inches apart. Flatten dough balls with a flat-bottomed cup wrapped in a damp paper towel.
• Dip a thimble or small round cutter in flour and cut out a small circle in the center of exactly half of the cookies.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. (The cookies will be pale. The cut out halves will bake faster so watch closely.) Transfer carefully to wire racks to cool.
• Spread raspberry preserves on top of solid cookies. Top with remaining cookies, bottom sides down, to make sandwiches. Sift powdered sugar over tops of cookies.

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in 1/2 cup flour, the ground almonds, and cinnamon. Mix in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the mixture becomes a slightly stiff dough.
• Shape the dough into a ball; divide it in half. Wrap both halves in wax paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough into a sheet 1/8 inch thick. With a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut as many circles from the sheet as you can. Knead the leftover scraps of dough into a ball and roll it out again into a 1/8 inch sheet. Cut out more circles. You should now have about 12 circles.
• Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between them. Refrigerate while working with remaining dough.
• Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the other half of the dough, but after placing the second batch on the baking sheet, cut out the center of each circle with a 1/2 inch cookie cutter.
• Bake cookies in preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.
• Spread a thin coating of jam on each of the cookie rounds. Set a cutout cookie on top of each, pressing the two together so they make a sandwich. Spoon a dab of jam into the opening of each tart and sprinkle the tops with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in thirds. Shape each into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. holiday cookie cutters. Using floured 1-in. shaped cookie cutters, cut out the centers of half of the cookies., Place solid and window cookies 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Sprinkle window cookies with additional confectioners' sugar. Spread 1 teaspoon Nutella on the bottom of each solid cookie; place window cookies over filling.

Steps:

• For the Dough: cream softened butter with powdered sugar until well blended.
• Add the orange extract to the butter mixture and stir well to incorporate.
• Stir in the sifted flour one cup at a time, mixing well.
• Chill dough 2 or more hours before rolling.
• Fill with raspberry or apricot preserves or a mixture of the two.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured board with floured rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut with 2 inch round cutter (scalloped cutter is nice) and place on ungreased baking sheet.
• Cut out small center circle with 1 inch or smaller cutter in 1/2 of the cookies.
• (Reroll scraps as you go).
• Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes, until pale golden and edges are starting to brown.
• Cool completely on a wire rack at least 1/2 hour.
• Place all the tops (with the inner circles cut out) close together on a sheet of waxed paper.
• Dust sifted powdered sugar thickly over the tops.
• Place the bottoms on another sheet of waxed paper.
• Spread 2 teaspoons preserves very carefully on each bottom cookie.
• Spread evenly leaving 1/4 inch rim without preserves around the edge.
• Spread the preserves without picking up the cookie; use a flat knife and work right on the waxed paper covered surface.
• Top each preserve covered bottom cookie with a sugared top cookie, lightly holding it at the edges.
• Carefully transfer to a serving plate.
• Do not try to stack or store these very long.
• The basic cookies could be packed and frozen, but the assembled cookies should be made the day they are to be served.
• PS the original recipe gave the above warning about stacking and storing, but I have made them at Christmas and stacked them between sheets of waxed paper in a tin with no problem.

Steps:

• Cream butter, add sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients and blend thoroughly.
• Chill for about 1/2 an hour.
• Roll out dough between 1/8 and 1/4 inch on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut half of the dough with flower cookie cutter, and the other half with the same cutter, but with centers removed.
• Bake each batch 6-10 minutes at 400 degrees, or until just golden brown.
• Spread preserves on whole cookies (bottoms), and top with cutouts.
• Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar until covered.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Using an electric mixer on low speed, cream the butter and both sugars together to a smooth and creamy consistency. Slowly add one egg at a time, letting each egg incorporate fully into the creamed sugar mixture before adding the next. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides of a bowl with a spatula, reset the machine on low, and add the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and allpurpose flour. Continue mixing for several minutes until the flour is fully incorporated. With the mixer still running, add the ground almond flour and allow it to become fully incorporated before removing from the mixer.
• Turn the dough out onto a board that has been dusted with flour. Pat the dough down using your hands and divide it into two pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll the first piece into a 1/4 inchthick rectangularshaped piece that will fit on a cookie sheet or into a 9 by 13 baking pan. Roll out the second piece of dough to the same thickness, then cut it into 1/2-inch wide strips with a crinkleedge cutter. These strips will be used to form the lattice crust.
• Place the solid piece of dough on a lightly buttered cookie sheet or baking pan. Spread the raspberry jam evenly across the dough's surface. Use the cut strips of dough to form an open latticework crust over the top of the jam. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into 11/2to 2inch square bar cookies.

Steps:

• Cream butter with paddle attachment. Add sugar and continue creaming. Add the egg, lemon, and vanilla and mix. Add nuts and mix. Stir together dry ingredients in a bowl and add to mixer and blend. Form into disks, wrap and chill. Roll out dough with floured rolling pin to 1/8-inch thickness on a well floured surface. Cut out disks, fluted if desired, approximately 2 inches in diameter. Cut out the centers of half the disks with a cutter in the shape of your choice. Re-roll scraps and repeat. Chill cut out dough. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 12 minutes or until edges turn golden then cool on a wire rack. Heat the jam and spread the solid disks with a layer of the hot jam. Glue on the lids pressing down lightly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, then fill the holes with more jam. Let set slightly before serving.

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine and mix the flour, almonds, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, blend the flour mixture in with the butter. When the ingredients are fully integrated, place 1/3 of the batter on each piece of waxed paper. Coat dough with a light layer of flour, and top with another piece of waxed paper of the same length to make 3 batter "sandwiches". Place 2 of them in the refrigerator and work with 1 at a time.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roll the first batch into as neat a shape as possible. What matters most is avoiding creases or cracks and getting it to about 1/8-inch in thickness. When the first is rolled, refrigerate it and repeat the same process for the other 2 pieces of dough.
• Make the cookie bottoms: Remove the first rolled sheet from the refrigerator and cut as many 1 1/2-inch hearts (or rounds). Reserve the scraps in the refrigerator. Arrange them neatly in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the other two sheets, reserving any scraps.
• Make the cookie tops: Cut a heart, with the smaller cutter, out of the center of half of all the cookies to create a heart outline. Roll the scraps in between 2 pieces of waxed paper and cut additional hearts, if desired.
• Bake the cookies until they are lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and allow them to cool slightly for a few minutes before gently transferring them to a flat surface. In a small pot, pour in the raspberry jam and bring it to a light simmer. Remove from the heat to cool slightly as well.
• Spoon about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam on each bottom and place a "top" heart on each. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough 1/4-inch thick and cut 2 3/4-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. With 1/2 of the rounds, cut a hole from the middle of each round with a heart or spade shaped cutter. Place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. Spread raspberry preserves on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with confectioners' sugar and press the flat sides together, with the raspberry preserves in the middle and the confectioners' sugar on the top.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast, stirring occasionally, until skins begin to split, about 15 minutes. Immediately rub hazelnuts vigorously in a clean kitchen towel to remove skins (as much as will come off easily). Let cool.
• In a food processor, pulse hazelnuts and almonds until finely ground. (Be careful not to overprocess; you don't want the mixture to become a paste.) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nut mixture; set aside.
• In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and beat 1 minute to combine. With mixer on low speed, add ground nuts and flour mixture all at once.
• Divide dough in half. Set a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using your fingers, press 1 dough half into tart pan. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, roll remaining dough half between 2 sheets of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour to a 12-inch round; place on a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Using an offset spatula, spread jam evenly over chilled dough in tart pan; set aside. Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut 3/4-inch-wide strips from chilled round of dough. Arrange strips on top of jam in a lattice pattern. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until torte is golden brown all over, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Remove ring and cool torte completely. Torte can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, dust with confectioners' sugar, if using.

Steps:

• Place the sugar and pistachios in a food processor. Process until the pistachios are finely chopped.
• Add the egg yolks, butter and cinnamon and process until smooth. Add a fifth of the flour and process with short pulses until mixed. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the remaining flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until the flour is combined.
• Gather up the dough into a compact ball. Place on a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk shape. Wrap in the plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. (This dough is very fragile. It may be easier to place the dough directly on the cookie sheet and, with a sheet of plastic wrap between the dough and the rolling pin, roll it out.) Cut the dough into 5-inch circles, gather up the dough and reroll it for the remaining circles. Transfer the circles to the baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool before removing from the baking sheet.
• Place the figs in a food processor and process until chopped. With the processor running, add the water and process until smooth. Spread the fig puree over the baked circles.
• Arrange the blackberries, standing up, over the fig puree. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and transfer to dessert plates.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon zest; mix well. Place almonds in a blender, cover and process until ground. Combine the almonds, flour, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture until well blended. Remove 1/3 cup of dough. Roll between two sheets of waxed paper to 1/8-in. thickness. Freeze for 8-10 minutes or until firm., Press remaining dough evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 11-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Spread raspberry preserves over crust. Remove remaining dough from freezer; using small cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Place over preserves., Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes. Loosen sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Remove sides of pan.

Steps:

• Filling:
• Bring cranberries, sugar, ginger, butter, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent scorching and help dissolve sugar. Continue to cook, stirring often, until cranberries burst, mixture is syrupy, and pot is visible when a wooden spoon is dragged across the bottom (mixture should be reduced to about 1 3/4 cups), 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Dough and assembly:
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.
• Pulse walnuts, granulated sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, salt, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and 2 cups flour in a food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and pulse until largest pieces are pea-size. Add 1 egg and process in long pulses until dough forms a ball around the blade. Divide dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic, flattening into a 1/2"-thick disk. Press the remaining half into tart pan, working it across bottom and up sides with floured hands to create an even layer. Chill the dough in the pan and the wrapped dough until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Scrape filling into crust and spread into an even layer. Unwrap remaining dough and roll out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking, to a 1/8"-thick round. Cut dough into 8 strips. Arrange strips over top of tart in a crosshatch pattern (this dough is delicate,so don't fuss with strips too much once they're on the tart). Pinch off excess dough and press strips into edges to adhere. Chill 15-20 minutes.
• Beat remaining egg in a small bowl and brush over crust. Bake tart until crust is golden brown around the edges and golden across surface and filling is bubbling, 45-55 minutes. Let cool.
• Just before serving, remove ring from pan and dust tart with powdered sugar.
• Do Ahead
• Filling can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to a nonreactive container; cover and chill. Tart can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Steps:

• For crust:
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and egg in medium bowl until creamy. Add flour, almonds, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; beat just until well blended. Measure 3/4 cup of dough; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill. Using floured fingertips, press remaining dough over bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce dough in several places with fork. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crust until light golden, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• Roll out chilled dough disk on generously floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into stars, using 2-inch and 3-inch star cookie cutters. Transfer cookies to baking sheet. Bake until cookies are light golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• For Filling:
• Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Spread chocolate over bottom of crust. Arrange berries over chocolate, spacing evenly. Stir jam in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Spoon jam over raspberries.
• Bake tart until crust is golden brown, about 35 minutes (filling will still appear slightly liquid but will set up as tart cools.) Transfer tart to rack and cool. Arrange stars atop tart, overlapping points. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, almonds, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just until the mixture comes together to form a dough.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Remove one-third dough, and set aside. Roll out remaining dough to 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch square or round tart pan, pressing into corners and sides. Using a paring knife, trim the dough flush with edges of pan, and patch any holes or tears with extra dough.
• Roll out reserved dough into a rectangle at least 13 inches long and 1/8 inch thick. Cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Transfer to a baking sheet; refrigerate, along with shell in pan, 30 minutes.
• Over medium heat, melt the raspberry jam in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat, strain through a fine sieve, and let the jam cool slightly.
• Remove tart pan from refrigerator, and pour jam into shell. Remove dough strips from refrigerator, and arrange over the top in a lattice pattern. Trim the excess dough, and press ends into edge of shell to adhere. Bake until pastry is golden brown and jam is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust top with confectioners' sugar, and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Break chocolate into small pieces. In the bowl of a food processor, combine chocolate, sugar, and almonds, and pulse until finely ground, about 45 seconds.
• Add flour, cinnamon, and salt, pulsing three or four times to combine. Add butter, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine egg and lemon juice. Add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until mixture comes together.
• Place an 8-inch springform pan or bottomless tart ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press about two-thirds of the dough into the ring, forming a 1/2-inch-thick crust. Crust should be thicker on the edges, coming to a height of 1 inch on the ring.
• Using a rubber spatula, spread jam evenly over bottom of crust.
• Divide remaining dough into quarters. Flour work surface and hands well, and roll dough into long thin ropes about 1/3 inch in diameter. Arrange decoratively along top of tart, pressing gently to slightly flatten ropes.
• Bake tart until slightly golden brown around the edges, about 50 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Chill, and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar before serving.