Linzer cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

280 g or 2cups Gusto Flaky Pastry Mix Flour

170 g or 3/4 cup cold salted butter 

150 g or 3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup powdered sugar 

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp ground hazelnuts (can use ground almonds)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 tsp pure almond extract (optional)

Directions

1. Cube the cold butter and place in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment before gathering the rest of ingredients.

2. The dough can also be made by hand in a bowl using a wooden spoon, but I suggest using slightly softer butter instead. 

3. Using the paddle attachment blend the butter & sugars until thoroughly combined. Don’t overbeat butter and sugar, beat just enough to mix. 

4. Add the flour, ground nuts and mixing on medium low speed allow the mix to form wet clumps.

5. Mixture is crumbly at first and then magically forms a dough. Finish off by hand by gently bringing the clumps together into a ball.

6. Turn onto a floured surface and shape into a round disk. 

7. Chill for at least an hour. 

8. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4” thick. Using a 2 1/4” fluted cutter cut out circles. Cut out 3/4” circles from middle of half the rounds Reshape the scraps and cut more rounds again.

9. Lay cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet, not too close together. Chill again for at least 30 minutes.

10. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown on the edges. 

11. Cool for 5 minutes, transfer to a rack. 

12. Dust the cookies with holes with powdered sugar. Turn the flat cookies over, spread with a teaspoon of jam & top with the sugared circle. Serve. 

Notes

• Rolled cookie dough circles can be frozen for up to 3 months or kept chilled until ready to bake for a week. 

• You can use unsalted butter but be sure to add 1/2 tsp salt to the flour

• The trick to this dough not spreading into a pool when baked is to not overbeat the butter. There’s no creaming butter and sugar here until “light & fluffy”. Simply soften enough to combine with the sugar before adding the flour. 

• This cookie can also be flavored with a touch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg or freshly grated lemon zest. 

• It’s best not to spread the cookies with jam too long before serving as it can make them soggy.

Raspberry chia jam 

Here’s a simple healthy, refined sugar free jam recipe that can used for the Linzer cookies, stuffed cookies or a jammy layer for the cream filled napoleons.

• • 3 cups (350 g) frozen or fresh raspberries

  • 2- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, or to taste

  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, stir together the raspberries, maple syrup, and chia seeds until combined. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to medium-low. 

2. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the raspberries break down and the mixture thickens.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and into the freezer for about 20 to 30 minutes, to speed up the cooling process.