Jam-Filled Playing Card Cookies
- 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 3/4 sticks (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam, heated and strained
- 1/2 cup apricot jam, heated and strained
- Special equipment: 1/2-inch cookie cutters: spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts*
- *Available from Sweet Celebrations (800-328-6722)
- Sift confectioners sugar into a large bowl, then beat with butter and zest with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in yolk, then beat in flour and salt.
- Quarter dough and roll out each quarter between sheets of parchment or wax paper into an approximately 9- by 7-inch rectangle (3/4 inch thick).
- Stack rectangles, still between paper, on a baking sheet and freeze at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Transfer 1 paper-enclosed rectangle to a work surface (keep remaining rectangles frozen).
- Remove top sheet of paper and replace it loosely.
- Flip over paper-enclosed rectangle and discard paper now on top.
- Trim dough to a 71/2- by 6-inch rectangle with a sharp knife and a ruler.
- Cut lengthwise into thirds, then crosswise into thirds to form 9 (2 1/2- by 2-inch) rectangles.
- Carefully transfer cookies with a metal spatula to a buttered baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until edges are just pale golden, about 10 minutes.
- Cool on baking sheet on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
- Cut and bake 9 more cookies in same manner.
- Then make "card" cookies from remaining 2 dough rectangles: Roll out and cut in same manner as above, but before baking, use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from 2 corners of each card.
- Do not cut too close to edge or cookie will break.
- Bake cookies in same manner as solid ones.
- Arrange 9 solid cookies, bottom sides up, on a work surface and spread each with 1 1/2 teaspoons warm strawberry jam.
- Top each with a cutout cookie, pressing gently to help adhere.
- If necessary, spoon some of remaining jam into cutouts.
- Sandwich remaining cookies with warm apricot jam.
confectioners sugar, unsalted butter, lemon zest, egg yolk, flour, salt, strawberry jam, apricot, cookie cutters
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/jam-filled-playing-card-cookies-105134 (may not work)