Maria's ischli cookies

Yield: 4 servings

Measure Ingredient
¼ pounds Almonds or hazelnuts, finely
\N \N Ground
½ pounds Butter, at room temperature
¼ pounds Sugar
½ pounds Flour
\N \N Seedless raspberrry
\N \N Preserves
\N \N Chocolate icing (see recipe
\N \N Below)

If you cannot buy nuts already ground, then grind them in a food processor, taking care not to overprocess them or they will turn oily; you can also process them with the sugar to prevent them from turning oily.

(Note if you are working with whole hazelnuts, toast them first in a 400 degree oven, rub off skins, let cool and then grind.) Combine the nuts with the butter, sugar and flour; you will have to combine this dough with your hands; if a bit too dry, add drops of lemon juice or rum. Form dough into a roll 1 1 /4inches thick.

Refrigerate overnight in waxed paper or parchment.

Following day preheat the oven to 350 degrees. cut dough into 1/4inch slices and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool cookies on a rack.

When cooled to room temperature, sandwich two cookies together with raspberry jam and spread some of the chocolate icing (see below) over the top cookie. For a pretty presentation, set them in fluted paper cups.

Yield: 2 dozen

COOKING MONDAY TO FRIDAY SHOW #MF6757

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