Ischler Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups 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 to 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• To Assemble Cookies:
• Apricot preserves (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup finely chopped dark chocolate, such as Guittard or Scharffen Berger
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions:

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on low speed until blended, then increase speed to high and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in almond flour and cinnamon, followed by 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 for 10-15 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 of trays with parchment paper. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons apricot preserves on bottom side of one cookie and 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, pulse blanched or slivered almonds in a food processor with a little bit of the flour from the recipe to prevent it from turning into butter.
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.