Plum Linzer Cookies

Two things have kept me from making Linzer cookies before now: raspberry jam and almond extract.  I don't like either.  But I've been watching the first season of "The Great British Baking Show", and it has given me confidence that you can change an ingredient or two in a classic recipe while maintaining the intent.  One of the things you can do is skip the almond extract in Linzer cookies if you use almond flour.

Almond flours have gained in popularity recently, between macarons and its use in gluten-free recipes.  They're still pricey, but they are also of better quality.  Sprouts had it in the bins, so I only had to pay for the amount needed in this recipe.  I didn't have to shell out $18 a pound.  It was also blanched-almond flour, not almond meal.  The latter is the one you have to sift several times and only saves you the effort of grinding your own almonds.

This is a half recipe of NYT Cooking's Linzer Cookie recipe, but I used my homemade Spiced Plum Jam in the middle.  That got rid of the other part of a Linzer recipe I don't like.

1-1/2 C flour
1/2 C almond flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 C + 2 Tb sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C jam (raspberry traditional, I used plum)
powdered sugar for dusting finished cookies
cornstarch for dusting board

1.  Sift together flour, 6 Tb of the almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

2.  In the mixer with the paddle, cream together butter and sugar.  When fluffy, beat in the egg and vanilla.  Scrape down the sides, then beat until smooth and fluffy.

3.  Add in the flour mixture and beat until it comes together.  You don't have to keep going until it's smooth.  That will make the cookies tough.  Form the dough into a single piece, then flatten it into a good shape for starting to roll out later.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  You can also freeze dough for up to a month and bring to room temperature when ready to bake.

4.  Preheat oven to 325º.  Dust work surface with remaining almond flour and cornstarch as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.  Roll out 1/8" thick and cut out an even number of shapes with a cookie cutter.  Transfer to a lined cookie sheet and use a smaller cutter to make windows in half of the cookies.  You can bake those as small cookies or reroll them in with the scraps.  Because you're using gluten-free dusting powder, the rerolls should not get as tough as if you used flour.

5.  Bake 10-12 minutes, until just starting to brown.  Allow to cool a minute on the sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Cookies at this point can be kept in a sealed container for up to a week, or over a month in the freezer.

6.  To fill cookies, match up a solid and one with a window.  Spread about a teaspoon of jam on the bottom of the solid one, then top with a window, making sure both bottom sides are together.  They just look prettier that way.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve the same day, preferably within a few hours.

Makes about 18 sandwich cookies, depending on size

Difficulty rating  :)