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Pastries and Cookies, Cakes

Almond Paste and Jelly Cookies

by Sandra

Round Christmas cookies with a golden almond paste border and red currant jelly in the center

4.1 (7)out of 5, 7 ratings

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Prep
1 hr 15 min
Bake
15 min
Total
1 hr 30 min
Makes
25 cookies (approx.)
Very tasty Christmas cookies

Ingredients

Makes 25 cookies (approx.)

  • 1 stick plus 1 tbsp125 gunsalted butterGerman butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter (European-style unsalted butter is closest); in the UK, unsalted butter.
  • 2 cups250 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 5 tbsp60 ggranulated sugar
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar2 tsp = 8 g. Sugar flavored with real vanilla, sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets from the baking aisle, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 1large egg
  • 9 oz250 galmond pasteRaw marzipan with a high almond and low sugar content, used for baking. In the US use almond paste (not marzipan, which is sweeter); in the UK, almond paste, or the marzipan with the highest almond content you can find.
  • 7 tbsp50 gpowdered sugarVery finely ground sugar for icings and dusting. In the US use powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar); in the UK, icing sugar.
  • 1large egg
  • 1 jarred currant jellyA clear, smooth fruit jelly (preserve) without pieces or seeds. In the US use red currant jelly or another clear fruit jelly (not Jell-O); in the UK, redcurrant jelly or another jelly preserve (not jelly dessert).

Method

  1. Cut the butter into small pieces and put it in a bowl.
  2. Add the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and egg.
  3. Knead everything together and let the finished dough rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.
  4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/16 inch (2 mm) thick and cut out circles.
  5. Prebake at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes.
  6. Grate the almond paste and stir it together with the powdered sugar and the second egg.
  7. Using a piping bag, pipe the almond paste mixture as a border around the edge of the prebaked cookies.
  8. Then bake again for about 14 minutes.
  9. Once the cookies have cooled completely, warm the red currant jelly and spoon it into the center of the cookies.
  10. Now just wait until the jelly has set again, and enjoy.