blogger profile: Cake Duchess

Biscotti di Pasta Frolla e Marmellata-Italian Jam Cookies

Boy, that name is a mouthful! This week we are introducing you to a wonderful blog: Cake Duchess. Lora is the master of  breads, cakes, and all kinds of tasty treats. To kick off our two weeks of cookies, here’s one that may take some time, but it’s so worth it!

Biscotti di Pasta Frolla e Marmellata-Italian Jam Cookies

Makes approximately 30 cookies

250 grams flour (1 -3/4 cups flour)
150 grams sugar (3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 cup apricot jam (or your favorite flavor)
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter into the flour mixture until incorporated. Beat in the egg and the honey until incorporated (about 1-2 minutes). Do not over mix the dough.
Remove the dough from the bowl and put it onto a slightly-floured surface. Halve the dough and shape into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least two hours.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to soften slightly, about 10 minutes. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll out dough between two pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.

Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and with a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out approximately 15 rounds from each half.

Using a tiny cookie cutter, make small holes in the center of half the rounds. Place all the rounds carefully about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake about 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven), or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Halfway through baking, rotate the sheets. Transfer to racks to cool.

To assemble the cookies
When the cookies are cool, turn the cookies with no holes upside down. Spread each one with about 1/2 teaspoon of jam, but not all the way to the edge.

Place cookies that are cut out on top of cookies spread with jam. Press gently together. Sprinkle cookies with confectioner’s sugar. With pastry bag, pipe in a little more jam into the center of each cookie.

Store cookies in an airtight plastic container at room temperature up to 2 days. Or store in the refrigerator fridge for up to 1 week, if they should last that long.;)

Don’t forget to visit the current Holiday issue of EIEO for another recipe from Lora: Challah.