Linzer Cookies with Homemade Orange Marmalade

For the marmalade:
Slice off the top and bottom portions from the orange (about 1/4-inch) and discard. Cut the oranges in the same direction, cutting across into thin (1/8-inch) strips. Cut each slice of orange into small wedges.

Zest and juice the lemon.

Combine the orange wedges and lemon zest and juice in a large saucepan with the water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place the lid on the pan and keep it at a boil for 10 minutes, but be sure to stir the mixture frequently.

Then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 40 minutes with the lid partially on. Again, stir the mixture frequently.

Stir in the sugar and orange liqueur, and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a rapid boil, or until it reaches 220 F as measured on a candy thermometer.

When it reaches 220 F you can reduce the heat slightly and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes.

The mixture will thicken slightly as it cools (once removed from the heat), but if you feel yours is too thin, cook it for a bit longer. If you think it’s too thick, add a little orange juice, just a few tablespoons at a time, while cooking.

Remove the marmalade from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, you can use an immersion blender to carefully blend the mixture so the orange peel is not so big.

Place the marmalade in clean jars or containers, seal them with a lid and refrigerate. Use within 1 week.

Note: Since this marmalade recipe does not follow standard preserving or canning techniques, it should be refrigerated and it should last for about a week in the fridge.

For the cookies:
Add the almonds and cornstarch to a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and
add the flour. Whisk to combine, then set aside.

Use a stand mixer on low speed, and add the butter and 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (the remaining 1/4 cup confections’ sugar will be used to dust over the cookies). Mix until combined.

Increase to high speed and allow the mixture to become fluffy, about 2 minutes or so. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the vanilla, orange zest, salt and egg. Mix for a minute or so. Reduce the speed to low and, a little at a time, add the almond-flour mixture. Mix until it’s all been added and is thoroughly blended.

Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and divide it into 4 parts. Shape the dough into disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours.

When you’re ready to make the cookies, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for about 15 minutes to bring it to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 325 F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Lightly flour a flat work surface, unwrap a section of the dough and put it onto the work surface. Press or roll the dough so it’s about 1/8-inch thick.

You’ll need two cookie cutters—a larger one, and a smaller one to create the “window” for the top cookie. Use a round or shaped cookie cutter that’s about 2-5/8-inches in diameter and cut out as many cookies as you can with the first disk. Re-roll the scraps to make more. Use the smaller cutter (I used one that is 1-1/2 inches) and cut out windows in half of the cookies. Set aside the small cookies. Repeat with the remaining sections of dough.

Carefully transfer the larger cookies (the solid ones and the ones with cut-outs) to the lined baking sheets. Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn lightly golden.

Remove pans from oven. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

Put the smaller cookies onto the baking sheets and bake them for 10-12 minutes.

When the cookies have cooled completely, use a sieve or strainer to dust the cookies with the windows with the reserved confectioners’ sugar.

Spread just less than a teaspoon of the marmalade onto the solid cookies. Place the cookies with the window over the solid cookies to form a sandwich.

You can make sandwiches with the small cookies and the marmalade, or simply dust them with confectioners’ sugar and eat them as is.

Prepared cookies should last about a week if you package them with waxed paper between the layers, in a container with a tight lid.

The recipe for Linzer cookies is attributed to Good Housekeeping. I made a few slight changes to it.