Linzer Augen Recipe

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These are another “very traditional” Austrian cookies – a rather splendid version of the British Jammy Dodger, but I am telling you, infinitely more delicate! The trick with this cookie, is to find something to punch out “the smaller” circles with. I have a special cutter “imported” all the way from Austria! But I reckon you could get away with one of those “Apple Corer” devices? Or maybe make your own out of some card? Or if you are lucky you can find a mini heart cutter.

Ingredients: (this by the way is a basic shortbread recipe, made more special..)

  • 300g plain flour
  • 200g butter
  • 100g icing sugar (instead of caster sugar)
  • Packed of vanilla sugar*
  • 1/2 grated lemon rind
  • 1 egg (though I used up 3 egg yolks from another recipe that need egg white)
  • Jam (raspberry or apricot)

To make:

  1. Crumble together butter and flour
  2. Add the egg(s), icing sugar, lemon and vanilla sugar
  3. Knead into a smooth dough
  4. Roll out thinly (remember you will be eating two of these as “one cookie)
  5. Start cutting your shape – you will need the same number of “plain” under sides of the cookies and “hole punched” top sides of the cookies. If you have a mini heart shaped cutter, that would look especially pretty with the jam!
  6. Bake for 12-15min at around 170-180C
  7. Take out and whilst hot, add jam and place top biscuits
  8. Still,whilst hot, dust on some icing sugar. The now heated jam, will melt any that lands in the middle
  9. Cool & Enjoy!

To my own surprise I actually made these with Red Ted AND Pip Squeak. It was a challenge, but we got there and Red Ted loved it!

Here are some pretty variations (from around the web):

Oh and taking part in

http://blog.maisoncupcake.com/forever-nigella/