Hazelnut, Chocolate, and Raspberry Jam Linzer Cookies
There’s something magical to me about the flavor of hazelnuts – this Linzer cookie recipe by Aida Mollenkamp pairs crisp cut-outs with Nutella, and I combined a second recipe of hers that also includes blackberry jam. The result is a richly flavored, almost PB&J-like sandwich cookie that looks especially charming with the aid of heart-shaped cookie cutters.
Hazelnut, Chocolate, and Raspberry Jam Linzer Cookies
1 c toasted hazelnuts
2 c all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp table salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
¾ c packed light brown sugar
½ c granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp grated orange zest
½ c chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Seedless raspberry jam
Powdered sugar
Add the nuts to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade, and pulse until finely ground (it should be powdery and not a paste), about 15 pulses. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and set aside.
Put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down sides of the bowl, and add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
Mix in the orange zest, ground hazelnut powder, and the flour mixture until just incorporated. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, pat each into a thin disk, enclose in plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until pliable enough to roll. Roll out half of the dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts of dough. Using a much smaller heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the center of half of the hearts to leave small, heart-shaped voids. Transfer both sets of cut-outs to the freezer to set up for 5 minutes before continuing.
Transfer the chilled cookies to parchment lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1-inch between each cookie. Bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time until the undersides are golden, switching sheets halfway through, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool 5 minutes on sheets then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all dough is used. Dust cookies featuring heart-shaped center voids with powdered sugar.
To assemble cookies, spread 1 teaspoon of the chocolate-spread on the bottom of each solid heart-shaped cookie, then spread with ½ teaspoon of jam, and top with a heart-shaped cookie featuring the heart-shaped voids.
Top: Loft (old)
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Lips: Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in American Doll
Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer in Ebony
