Lemon and Raspberry Linzer Cookies

These Linzer cookies are perfect for gifting and have a wonderful cream cheese filling which cuts through the sweetness

FOR THE LINZER COOKIES

• 125g caster sugar
• Zest of lemon
• 270g cake flour
• 30g cornflour
• 100g ground almonds
• pinch of salt
• 200g butter, fridge cold
• 1 large whole egg
• an additional 1 large yolk (this is in addition to the above)

METHOD

1. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together to release the oils.
2. Then place this, together with the flour, cornflour, salt and almonds in the food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
3. Add in the butter and pulse until you have a breadcrumb like dough.
4. Then add in the egg and egg yolk and continue to mix until the dough begins to come together into large balls.
5. Tip onto your work surface and bring it together with your hands, trying not to overwork it.
6. Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each piece of dough in between two sheets of baking paper, until it is about 5mm thick.
7. Place in the fridge to rest for an hour.
8. When ready to bake, preheat the over to 180 degrees celcius. Grease and line about 4 cookie sheets with baking paper.
9. Remove one of the four disks, gently dust your countertop with flour. Flip one side of the dough onto the dusted counter and then peel away the baking paper.
10. Using a 6cm round cutter (or any other of your choice), cut out the bases of your cookies and place them on your baking sheet.
11. Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, until they’re only just beginning to turn a very light gold at the edges; they will, overall, still be pale. Transfer straightaway to a cooling rack.
12. Repeat the same process with the second disc of dough, but this time using a 3cm cutter to cut a hole in the centre of the dough to form the top of the cookie.
13. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
    

FOR THE FILLING

• 60g cream cheese
• 90g icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 9 tablespoons raspberry jam
• Ready made royal icing to decorate

METHOD

1. Beat the cream cheese until soft, then add the icing sugar and milk to make a filling.
2. Add some of the filling to the base of the cookie, then add some raspberry jam.
3. Decorate the top half of your cookies with some royal icing and let it dry completely.
4. Then sandwich the base of the cookie with the top.

Recipe by adventureswithsugar.com