Linzer Heart Cookies

In a small bowl mix together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, and then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.

Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour, or overnight.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about half a centimeter thick. You’ll need two of the same shape cookie cutters for this, with one being a bit smaller. With a heart-shaped cookie cutter about 1 ½ inches wide (although any shape works), cut out the shapes. Place them on a greased baking sheet at least an inch apart. For half of the cookies, use a smaller cookie cutter to make a heart-shaped hole in the middle. Gather up the scraps and re-roll the dough. Repeat cutting out additional hearts. Continue this process until you run out of dough. Refrigerate the cookies for 1-2 hours.

Just before baking, preheat the oven to 325 F. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and place them into the heated oven. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are barely golden. Remove pans from oven and set on a rack. Let the cookies cool completely.

Sift powdered sugar over all the cookies that have a hole in the middle.

Put the jam into a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave the jam for 15-20 seconds, to thin it out. Spread about ½ teaspoon of jam on the remaining cookies (the ones without a hole). Top with a cookie that has a hole.

Enjoy!