Feature

Tout Sweets

Linzer Cookies

Karen Demasco
Craft and Craftbar
Makes 2 to 3 dozen.
6 ounces (11⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, grated fine
Zest of 2 oranges, grated fine
1 and 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for board and rolling pin
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
1 and 1⁄2 cups finely ground almonds (almond flour, or blanched almonds pulsed in a food processor until very fine)
1 cup raspberry preserves

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat butter, sugar, and zests in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until they are smooth. Sift together flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add the yolks to the mixer bowl, and beat until they are incorporated. Reduce the speed, and slowly add the dry mixture, then the ground almonds, beating until they're incorporated. Turn the dough out onto the counter, form it into a ball, cut in half, wrap each half in plastic, and chill until firm, about 1 hour. (The dough will keep for 3 days at this stage, and can be frozen for 1 month.)

Flour the board and rolling pin, and roll out half the dough to 1⁄8-inch thickness. Cut the cookies into desired shapes using a 11⁄2-inch-diameter cutter. Cut 1⁄2-inch holes in the centers of half the cookies. Transfer the cookies to prepared cookie sheets with a spatula, and chill them for 30 minutes.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Once they've cooled, sprinkle the cookies that have cutouts with confectioners' sugar. Spoon a little raspberry preserves on each of the solid cookies, and top each with a powdered cookie.

Russian Tea Cakes

Bill Yosses
Citarella
Makes 2 to 3 dozen.
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar plus extra for rolling
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups shelled, chopped nuts (suggested: 1⁄2 cup each of pecans, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cardamom

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat butter and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until it's smooth. Add the flour, nuts, vanilla extract, salt, and cardamom and continue mixing until a smooth paste forms. (The dough will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.)

Form dough into 3⁄4-inch balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 6 minutes or until edges brown.

While the cookies are still hot from the oven, roll them in a dish of confectioners' sugar. Cool on a rack. Wrap well with plastic, and place in an airtight container.

Chocolate-Orange Shooting-Star Cookies

Florian Bellanger Fauchon
Makes about 1 dozen.
Chocolate cookies:
1 and 1⁄2 cups cake flour
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup cocoa powder
1⁄3 cup almond flour
1⁄4 teaspoon fine salt
4 ounces plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 egg yolks
Orange icing:
1 and 1⁄2 cups of confectioners' sugar, sifted
Zest of 1 orange, grated
1⁄4 cup fresh orange juice

Cookies: Beat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, almond flour, and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until combined. Add the butter in chunks, one at a time, while running the machine on low, until the mixture becomes sandy. Add the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons water, and mix until combined. Form it into a ball, cut in half, wrap each half in plastic, and chill for 2 to 3 hours until the dough is firm.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin with flour, and roll out the dough in batches to a thickness of 1⁄3 inch. Cut out the cookies with a shooting-star- or star-shaped cutter, dipping the cutter in flour if it sticks. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack.

When cookies have cooled to room temperature, spread the orange icing (recipe below) over the top of each with a spatula.

Orange icing: Blend sifted sugar and zest in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the orange juice. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

Gingersnaps

Karen Demasco
Craft and Craftbar
Makes about 3 dozen.
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for board and rolling pin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces (1 and 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 egg
Decoration: Gold dragées or granulated sugar

Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Beat butter, sugar, molasses, and ginger in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until it's smooth. Add the egg, beat until combined, and gradually beat in dry ingredients. Form dough into a ball, cut in half, wrap each half in plastic, and chill overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin, and roll out the dough in batches to 1⁄8-inch thickness. Cut the cookies into desired shapes. Transfer them to cookie sheets with a thin spatula. Sprinkle with sugar or decorate with gold dragées, and chill 30 minutes. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. They will crisp as they cool.