Raspberry-Shortbread Linzer Cookies
Yield: approximately 15 medium cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup arrowroot or non-gmo cornstarch
1 cup unsalted cashews, finely ground
1 - 10 ounce jar raspberry preserves
For decoration
¾ cup powdered sugar
Procedure
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two cookie trays with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, with hand or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl as needed to make sure all of the sugar and butter are the same consistency.
Whisk together flours and arrowroot or cornstarch in separate medium bowl. Slowly sift flour mixture into butter mixture while continuing to beat with mixers until well combined.
Add ground cashews and continue to mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator no longer than 20 minutes or dough will become hard and difficult to work with.
Divide dough in half and place one half on lightly floured parchment or counter. Roll to about ¼” thick. If the rolled dough is too soft to hold shape, chill dough until firm to the touch.
Cut dough with lightly floured cookie cutters. This is important - for each cookie cut, a mate needs to be cut with the center removed with smaller cutter so the preserves can be seen. Use one cookie sheet for the bottom of the cookie sandwich, and the second cookie sheet for the top piece. When creating top cookie (with center cut out), place whole cookie on baking sheet, then remove center. Cookie may be too fragile to move from table to baking sheet with center already cut.
Continue process until all the dough is used.
Bake for about 5-6 minutes and rotate pans to assure even browning. Continue to bake until edges are lightly browned. Remove from pans and allow to cool on cooking racks.
When cookies are completely cool, take whole cookie (bottom) and spoon about 1 tablespoon of preserves in center. Gently spread out to cover cookie. Carefully press down cut cookie (top) to fit on top. Do not push too hard or the cookie will break. Continue process until all cookies are matched, top and bottom
Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar.