COOKIES
3/4 c Unsalted butter; room
-temperature (1
; 1/2 sticks)
1 ts Vanilla extract
1/4 ts Grated lemon peel
1 c Sugar
1 lg Egg
1 Egg yolk
2 1/4 c All purpose flour
1/4 c Cornstarch
1/4 ts Ground cloves; (generous)
FILLING
1 c Fresh cranberries
1/4 c Sugar
3/4 c Raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar
For Cookies:
Using electric mixer, cream butter, vanilla and lemon in bowl until
light. Gradually add sugar and beat until blended. Beat in egg and
yolk. Combine flour, cornstarch and cloves. Beat half of dry
ingredients into butter mixture. Stir in remaining dry ingredients.
Gather dough into ball (dough will be soft). Divide dough into 4
pieces; flatten each into disk. Wrap each in plastic and chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter heavy large nonstick cookie sheets. Roll
1 dough piece out (keep remainder refrigerated) on floured surface to
thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut out star-shaped cookies using floured
3-inch star cutter. Transfer to prepared cookie sheets, spacing 1/2
inch apart. Repeat rolling and cutting with second dough piece.
Gather scraps and reroll, chilling dough briefly if soft. Cut out
more 3-inch star cookies. Transfer to prepared cookie sheets. Chill
cookies 10 minutes. Bake until edges are golden, about 10 minutes.
Cool on rack.
Roll third dough piece out on lightly floured surface to thickness of
1/8 inch. Cut out star-shaped cookies using floured 3-inch star
cutter. Cut smaller star out of center of each 3-inch star using 1
3/4- to 2-inch star cutter. Transfer star outlines to prepared cookie
sheets using floured metal spatula as aid. Repeat rolling and cutting
star outlines with fourth dough piece. Gather scraps and star centers
and reroll, chilling dough briefly if soft. Cut out 3-inch stars. Cut
smaller stars out of each 3-inch star. Transfer star outlines and
centers to prepared cookie sheets. Chill cookies 10 minutes. Bake
until edges are golden brown, about 9 minutes. Transfer cookies to
rack and cool.
For Filling:
Finely chop cranberries with sugar in processor. Transfer mixture to
heavy medium saucepan. Mix in preserves. Cook over medium-high heat
until mixture is reduced to scant 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about
8 minutes. Pour into bowl and cool.
Using metal icing spatula, spread 1 teaspoon jam filling in center of
each 3-inch cookie, spreading slightly toward points of star. Lightly
sift powdered sugar over star outlines. Place star outlines sugar
side up over jam-topped cookies. (Can be prepared ahead. Place in
single layers in airtight containers. Refrigerate up to 4 days or
freeze up to 2 weeks. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before
serving.)
Makes about 36 sandwich cookies.
Yields
1 servings