Pofer cookies not only taste delicious, but also look beautiful. Using a round fluted cookie cutter gives them an elegant appearance, because of the scalloped edges. Plus, the preserves glisten like jewels in the center of the sandwich cookie, making them hard to pass up.
If you don't want to sandwich them together, they’re delicious on their own. For special flair, dip them in chocolate or drizzle chocolate over them.
Specialty tools: 1-inch and 3-inch round fluted-edge cutters, rolling pin
Preparation time: 3-1/4 hours; includes chilling
Baking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 3-1/2 dozen
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (1-1/2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups finely ground almonds
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1-1/4 cups apricot or raspberry preserves
1 cup confectioners' sugar for garnish
Using a mixer, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix together until smooth. Add the almonds, cinnamon, and vanilla and blend well.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly and add to the butter mixture. Blend well and then add the flour with the salt in three stages.
Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix to a smooth dough, about 2 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours, until firm enough to roll out. The dough can be held in the refrigerator for 3 days or can be frozen. If frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles using a 3-inch round fluted-edge cutter. Take half the circles and cut out their centers using a 1-inch round fluted-edge cutter.
Gather together the scraps and center cutouts, reroll, and recut. Place the circles on the cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch between them. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and set. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and transfer the cookies from the parchment paper to the cooling racks.
When the cookies are cool, place a teaspoon of preserves on the solid cookies.
Heavily dust the cookies with the center holes with confectioners' sugar and place these on top of the cookies with the preserves, forming sandwiches. Store in a single layer in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Per serving: Calories 349 (From Fat 64); Fat 7g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 11mg; Carbohydrate 71g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.