Orange Marmalade Linzer Tarts Recipes

LINZER TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in thirds. Shape each into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. holiday cookie cutters. Using floured 1-in. shaped cookie cutters, cut out the centers of half of the cookies., Place solid and window cookies 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Sprinkle window cookies with additional confectioners' sugar. Spread 1 teaspoon Nutella on the bottom of each solid cookie; place window cookies over filling.

LINZER TARTS

Steps:

• For the Dough: cream softened butter with powdered sugar until well blended.
• Add the orange extract to the butter mixture and stir well to incorporate.
• Stir in the sifted flour one cup at a time, mixing well.
• Chill dough 2 or more hours before rolling.
• Fill with raspberry or apricot preserves or a mixture of the two.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured board with floured rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut with 2 inch round cutter (scalloped cutter is nice) and place on ungreased baking sheet.
• Cut out small center circle with 1 inch or smaller cutter in 1/2 of the cookies.
• (Reroll scraps as you go).
• Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes, until pale golden and edges are starting to brown.
• Cool completely on a wire rack at least 1/2 hour.
• Place all the tops (with the inner circles cut out) close together on a sheet of waxed paper.
• Dust sifted powdered sugar thickly over the tops.
• Place the bottoms on another sheet of waxed paper.
• Spread 2 teaspoons preserves very carefully on each bottom cookie.
• Spread evenly leaving 1/4 inch rim without preserves around the edge.
• Spread the preserves without picking up the cookie; use a flat knife and work right on the waxed paper covered surface.
• Top each preserve covered bottom cookie with a sugared top cookie, lightly holding it at the edges.
• Carefully transfer to a serving plate.
• Do not try to stack or store these very long.
• The basic cookies could be packed and frozen, but the assembled cookies should be made the day they are to be served.
• PS the original recipe gave the above warning about stacking and storing, but I have made them at Christmas and stacked them between sheets of waxed paper in a tin with no problem.

BLOOD ORANGE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Unfold crust in 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press crust onto bottom and up sides of pan. Fold overhang in and press, forming high-standing rim 1/2 inch above pan sides. Pierce all over with fork. Bake crust until set and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Grate peel from 2 oranges (orange part only); place in small saucepan. Cut pith from oranges; discard. Working over same pan, cut between membranes to release orange segments into pan. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until mixture is thickened and segments have fallen apart, stirring often, about 22 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Mix cornstarch and 1 cup sugar in medium bowl. Beat in butter. Add egg; beat until fluffy. Stir in orange mixture and Grand Marnier (mixture will look curdled). Spoon into crust.
• Bake tart until set, about 45 minutes. Cool on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.) Garnish with orange slices. Serve cold or at room temperature.