Ischler Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour or finely ground almonds (See Cook's Tip)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (and up to 1/4 teaspoon, according to taste)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• To Assemble Cookies:
• 1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
• 1 cup finely chopped, high-quality, dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions:

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on low speed until blended. Increase speed to high and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in almond flour and cinnamon, followed by all-purpose flour.
2. Turn dough out onto parchment paper. Wrap well and chill for a couple of hours or overnight.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325°F.
4. Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. With a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut dough into rounds. Re-roll scraps, chilling dough if it becomes too soft, and cut into circles. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until set and dry on top. (Bake at low end of range for a tender cookie and higher end of range for a crispier cookie.) Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.
6. To assemble cookies, line a couple trays with parchment paper. Spoon 1 - 2 teaspoons apricot preserves on bottom side of one cookie. Top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies. Melt chocolate (see Cook's Tips). Holding each cookie sandwich at an angle, dip cookie into melted chocolate so that a third of the top is coated. Tap to remove excess. Before chocolate cools, dip chocolate edge of each sandwich in finely chopped almonds. Place on parchment-covered tray to dry.
7. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze.
8. Cook's Tips:
9. To grind almonds without turning them into butter, pulse blanched or slivered almonds in a food processor with a little bit of the all-purpose flour from the recipe.
10. To melt chocolate, place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15-second increments, stirring in between and being careful not to burn.