Cherry Linzertorte Food

LINZERTORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add eggs and lemon zest; stir until mixture forms a ball. Divide into fourths. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until chilled. , Remove two portions of dough from refrigerator; press each into an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Spread 2/3 cup jam over each., Between two sheets of lightly floured waxed paper, roll one portion of remaining dough into a 10x6-in. rectangle. Cut six 1-in.-wide strips; arrange in a lattice design over jam. Repeat with remaining dough (return dough to the refrigerator if needed). , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly and crust is browned. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

LINZER HEART COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Toast hazelnuts until skins darken and begin to split, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean dish towel, and rub vigorously to remove skins; discard skins. Place nuts in a food processor; pulse until medium fine.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, hazelnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and zest. Add to butter mixture; beat to combine, about 1 minute. Place in freezer until very firm, about 30 minutes.
• Liberally dust a clean surface with flour, and roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out seventy-two hearts. To make top halves of cookies, use a 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out centers from thirty-six of the hearts.
• Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.
• Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over cookie tops. Spread about 1 teaspoon jam on each of the bottom halves, and sandwich both halves together. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

CHERRY LINZERTORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Combine nuts and 1/3 cup flour in processor; finely chop nuts. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add remaining 2 cups flour and next 5 ingredients to bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter. Using electric mixer at low speed, blend ingredients until coarse meal forms (this will take several minutes). Add egg yolks and vanilla. Beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Press 1 1/2 cups (packed) dough over bottom and up sides of prepared pan; spread preserves in dough. Roll remaining dough on sheet of parchment paper to 13x10-inch rectangle. Freeze rectangle 5 minutes to firm. Cut twelve 1/2-inch-wide strips lengthwise from rectangle. Arrange 6 strips across torte, spacing evenly. Arrange 6 more strips across torte in opposite direction, forming lattice. Seal ends of strips to dough edge, trimming excess. Reserve all dough scraps to make cookies, if desired.
• Bake torte until crust is golden brown and preserves are bubbling thickly, about 40 minutes. Cool torte completely on rack. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with foil; store at room temperature.)
• Push bottom of pan up to free torte from pan. Sift powdered sugar over edge of torte, if desired, and serve.

PAULA DEEN'S PISTACHIO LINZERTORTE WITH CHERRY JAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners' sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in egg yolks until combined.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, nutmeg and cardamom. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Beat in ground pistachios. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Cut with a 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter.
• Cut out centers of half the cookies with a 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter.
• Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
• Let cool on pan for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• Spread cherry jam evenly over flat sides of uncut cookies.
• Top with flat sides of cutout cookies.
• Return to baking sheets, and bake for 2 minutes.
• Let cool completely on wire racks.

MARZIPAN TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter an 8 inch pan (springform - removable bottom recommended).
• In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar and almond paste until light and fluffy (may want to use beaters).
• Add eggs, kirsh and almond extract and beat well.
• Add remaining ingredients and beat thoroughly.
• Pour in pan and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
• Dust cake with powdered sugar and garnish with berries or berry sauce.

LINZERTORTE

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.