Iced Layer Cookies
8
- Prep Time1 hr
- Total Time5 hrs 45 mins
- Makes44
Produced by Chantal Braganza and Sun Ngo, Photography by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Eshun Mott, Prop Styling by Nicole Billark.
This marzipan take on empire cookies is labour-intensive but totally worth it. We veered from the original all-white colour scheme with a bit of food colouring and sprinkles for a far-out look.
Ingredients
1 2⁄3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (105 g) granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 200-g pkg marzipan
icing sugar, for dusting
1/4 cup thick raspberry or apricot jam
Vanilla Glaze
2 tsp unsalted butter
1 1⁄2 cups (170 g) icing sugar
2 to 3 tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
food colouring, optional
sprinkles or coloured sugar, optional
Instructions
Stir flour with baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
Beat 2⁄3 cup butter with granulated sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, until creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and juice until combined. Scrape dough onto a sheet of plastic, then form into a disc. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hrs.
Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Roll dough out on a floured surface to about 1⁄4-in. thick. Use a 1 1⁄2-in. round cookie cutter to cut out circles. Arrange cookies 2 in. apart on prepared sheets.
Bake until edges are lightly golden, 10 to 12 min. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Dust marzipan with icing sugar and roll out to slightly less than 1⁄8-in.thick. Cut an equal number of 1 1⁄2-in. circles to the number of cookies you have. Working with one cookie at a time, dollop about 1⁄4 tsp jam onto centre of cookie, then lay a marzipan round overtop. Press around edges to seal marzipan to cookie. Repeat until all cookies are covered. Transfer cookies to a rack set over a baking sheet.
Glaze: Melt 2 tsp butter in a medium glass or ceramic bowl. Whisk in 1 1⁄2 cups icing sugar, 2 tbsp hot water, vanilla and salt until combined, adding remaining tbsp water if needed to get a pourable glaze consistency. Stir in food colouring, if desired. Use a spoon to pour glaze over each cookie, fully coating marzipan. Sprinkle with any desired decorations before glaze sets. Let stand until glaze hardens, at least 4 hrs or overnight.
