“Jamaretti” cookies

It is no secret that the list of recipes I want to try is an endless thing, but sometimes because of the large amount of recipes it is hard to choose just one (or two). I usually use the contents of the fridge and cupboard as a guide, but sometimes not even that is enough – I just need something more specific.

When inspiration doesn’t seem to be striking any time soon I turn to the lovely and fun Sarah Carey, and while I watched her make these cookies I thought of the jar of raspberry jam sitting in my cupboard and the homemade almond paste stashed in my freezer – that was when I knew exactly what I would be baking on the weekend. :D

These are delicious and dead easy to make; too bad I didn’t have apricot jam around – I am sure the cookies would taste amazing with it, too.

“Jamaretti” cookies
from the lovely Sarah Carey on Martha’s website

Cookies:
2 ¼ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup almond paste – I used homemade
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup jam (apricot, blackberry, or raspberry) – I used raspberry

Icing:
½ cup (70g) confectioners' sugar
2-3 teaspoons whole milk

Cookies: whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a food processor, pulse almond paste and sugar until smooth. Add butter, eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add flour mixture and pulse until dough forms (here I added 30g of flour because my dough was much too soft). Divide into 4 equal pieces, wrap in plastic, and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
On a lightly floured surface roll each piece into a 25cm (10in) log. Transfer logs to prepared sheets 10cm (4in) apart, then flatten to about 5cm (2in) across. Bake until just dry, 12-15 minutes.
Remove from oven; with the handle of a wooden spoon, make a trench down each log. Spread 2 tablespoons jam into each trench. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes more. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
Whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over logs. Let glaze harden, 20 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut logs on the diagonal into 2.5cm (1in) slices (cut the cookies using the knife like a guillotine - don't use a sewing motion).
Store in airtight containers, up to 1 week.

Makes about 3 dozen – I cut my cookies slightly thinner and got 45