Linzer Sablés Recipes

TRADITIONAL ALGERIAN SABLES (COOKIES) - LIKE LINZER AUGEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 170°C
• Cream the margarine & sugar(s) until light & fluffy.
• Beat in the egg & vanilla, then gradually fold in the flour & baking powder.
• Mix slowly until a soft dough forms. The dough is very soft & needs handling with care but it shouldn't be sticky. If your dough is still a little sticky, sift in a little extra flour.
• Roll out to about 4mm thick, be sure to flour the rolling pin well.
• Cut out 'tops & bottoms' for your sables.
• Place on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil (shiny side up) & bake for 8 minutes. The sables should be just set but still white.
• Allow the sables to cool on the sheet for a minute then remove to a cold plate or tray to finish cooling.
• When the sables are fully cooled, heat the jam until bubbling.
• Place all the sables tops onto a tray & dust generously with the icing sugar.
• Allow the jam to cool slightly then spoon approx 1/2 tsp of the jam onto the underside of the sables 'bottoms'.
• Then carefully place a 'top' over the blob of jam.
• Allow to set, then store in one layer in an airtight container for upto 10 days.

AMERICAN KITCHEN CLASSIC LINZER SABLES (COOKIES)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Gradually add the eggs, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Reduce the speed to low.
• Sift the flour, cinnamon, cake crumbs, and baking powder together into a medium bowl. Add to the creamed mixture all at once and mix just until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Add the hazelnut flour and mix just until combined. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes.
• While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut rounds of dough using a fluted circular cookie cutter. Use a smaller cutter to cut a hole in half of the rounds. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. As you are working, reserve the scraps so that they may be rolled again and cut.
• Bake until lightly golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Allow the cookies to cool for a minute on the baking sheets then transfer, using a spatula, to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
• Sift confectioners' sugar over the cooled cookies. Coat the cookies without holes lightly and the ones with holes thoroughly. Pipe or spread a thin layer of jam on the cookies without holes. Top with the remaining cookies and press gently to secure.
• Store the cookies in an airtight container.

BUCKWHEAT LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• To make the dough by hand, put the rice flour, buckwheat flour, oat flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the cream cheese, butter, and water. Use a fork or the back of a large spoon to mash and mix the ingredients together until all are blended into a smooth, soft dough.
• To make the dough in a food processor, combine the rice flour, buckwheat flour, oat flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar. Pulse to mix thoroughly. Add the cream cheese, butter, and water. Process just until the mixture forms a ball of smooth, soft dough. Scrape the bowl and blend in any stray flour at the bottom with your fingers.
• Scrape the dough onto a sheet of wax paper and form it into two 8-inch logs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in the wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably longer or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the cold logs of dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place the cookies at least 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from front to back and top to bottom about halfway through the baking time, until the cookies are slightly darker brown at the edges and well browned on the bottom.
• Set the pans or just the liners on racks to cool. Cool completely before stacking or storing. Cookies may be stored in an airtight container for at least 2 weeks.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Slice the chilled logs less than 1/4 inch thick and place the slices 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, dividing the total number equally between them. Bake for about 12 minutes. Remove the upper sheet of cookies and place it on the counter or stovetop. Press the cookie cutter gently into each cookie. If the centers lift out, fine; otherwise you can remove them later. Switch and rotate sheets, placing the first on the lower rack in place of the second. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly darker at the edges and well browned on the bottom.
• Set the pans or just the liners on racks to cool. Cool completely. Remove the cutouts. Unfilled cookies may be stored in an airtight container for at least 2 weeks.
• Shortly before serving, spread 1/2 teaspoon of preserves on the cookies without holes. Sieve a little powdered sugar over the cookies with holes and place one on top of each jam-topped cookie.

LINZER SABLéS

Steps:

• Whisk together the ground nuts, flour, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars and salt together at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Meanwhile, using a fork, stir the egg and water together in a small bowl and add it to the butter/sugar mixture. Turn off the mixer, add the dry ingredients, then turn it on low and mix only until they disappear into the dough.
• Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, put the dough between two large sheets of wax paper. Using your hands, flatten the dough into a disk, then grab a rolling pin and roll out the dough, turning it over frequently so that the paper doesn't cut into it, until it is about 1⁄4 inch thick. Leave the dough in the paper and repeat with the second piece of dough. Transfer the wrapped dough to a baking sheet (to keep it flat) and refrigerate or freeze it until it is very firm, about 2 hours in the refrigerator or about 45 minutes in the freezer. The rolled-out dough can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just thaw the dough enough to cut out the cookies and proceed from there.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Working with one piece of dough at a time and using a cookie cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Place the circles of dough on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 1½-inches apart. Gather the scraps so you can re-roll with the next batch. Bake, 11-13 minutes.
• Cookies are done when there's color around the edges and on the bottom. Let cool 5 minutes, then sandwich with a teaspoon of raspberry jam (thinned with a splash of water and heated in the microwave). Finish with a dusting of confectioners' sugar just before serving.