Linzer Tarts

Directions

1. 1
   For the Dough: cream softened butter with powdered sugar until well blended.
2. 2
   Add the orange extract to the butter mixture and stir well to incorporate.
3. 3
   Stir in the sifted flour one cup at a time, mixing well.
4. 4
   Chill dough 2 or more hours before rolling.
5. 5
   Fill with raspberry or apricot preserves or a mixture of the two.
6. 6
   Preheat oven to 350°F.
7. 7
   Roll out dough on lightly floured board with floured rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick.
8. 8
   Cut with 2 inch round cutter (scalloped cutter is nice) and place on ungreased baking sheet.
9. 9
   Cut out small center circle with 1 inch or smaller cutter in 1/2 of the cookies.
10. 10
    (Reroll scraps as you go).
11. 11
    Bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes, until pale golden and edges are starting to brown.
12. 12
    Cool completely on a wire rack at least 1/2 hour.
13. 13
    Place all the tops (with the inner circles cut out) close together on a sheet of waxed paper.
14. 14
    Dust sifted powdered sugar thickly over the tops.
15. 15
    Place the bottoms on another sheet of waxed paper.
16. 16
    Spread 2 teaspoons preserves very carefully on each bottom cookie.
17. 17
    Spread evenly leaving 1/4 inch rim without preserves around the edge.
18. 18
    Spread the preserves without picking up the cookie; use a flat knife and work right on the waxed paper covered surface.
19. 19
    Top each preserve covered bottom cookie with a sugared top cookie, lightly holding it at the edges.
20. 20
    Carefully transfer to a serving plate.
21. 21
    Do not try to stack or store these very long.
22. 22
    The basic cookies could be packed and frozen, but the assembled cookies should be made the day they are to be served.
23. 23
    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.