Linzer Biscuits
Perfect for both gifts and gatherings, these Austrian Linzer biscuits are a delicious combination of buttery hazelnut shortbread and raspberry jam. While they’re tasty at any time of the year, at Christmas they provide a good alternative to mince pies and look especially pretty on a Christmas table.
Ingredients
Makes 24
100g hazelnuts
100g brown sugar
325g plain flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
225g unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
250g raspberry jam
100g icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan until fragrant and skins loosen (about 6 mins). Rub the nuts in a clean tea towel to remove any loose skins (some skins may not come off).
Blitz the toasted hazelnuts and 50g brown sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely ground.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Beat butter and remaining 50g brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (about 5 mins).
Add nut mixture to the butter mix and beat until combined well, about 1 min. Beat in the egg. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
With floured hands form dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 12cm-wide disc. Chill discs, wrapped in cling film, until firm - about 30 mins in the freezer or 2 hours in the fridge.
Roll out 1 disc of dough 1/2cm thick between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper (keep remaining dough chilled). If dough becomes too soft to roll, rewrap in plastic and chill until firm.
Cut out as many biscuits as possible from dough with round, heart or star shaped cutters and transfer to two large baking sheets lined with greaseproof paper, arranging about 2cm apart. Using smaller cutters, cut out centres from half of the biscuits reserving centres and re-rolling along with scraps. Only re-roll once.
Bake biscuits in the centre of the oven, one sheet at a time, until edges are golden, 10-15 mins, then transfer with a spatula to cooling racks.
Repeat steps 7&8 with second disc.
Once completely cool, spread about 1tsp jam on the flat side of 1 solid biscuit, repeat with the other solid rounds.
Liberally dust the windowed biscuits with icing sugar, then use them to sandwich the jammy rounds together. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
