Makes ± 30 cookies, depending on the size of the cookies
Ingredients:
450g flour
75 g almond flour / ground almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt flakes
340g butter
250g sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp Staffords Vanilla Extract
2 jars Staffords Cranberry Jelly
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method:
Pulse together flour and almonds in a food processor until well mixed.
Add cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Pulse to blend.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until very light, fluffy and pale. Scrape down the sides from time to time.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla extract, and beat until everything is well combined.
Add in dry ingredients and mix on the lowest speed until incorporated.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces, and wrap each piece in cling film, patting into a flat disk. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 160˚C.
Working 1 disk at a time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.
Make sure you flour and flip the dough a few times so it is not sticking to your counter top when you start cutting out cookies.
Using a round cookie cutter about 6.5cm in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible.
Take half of these circles and cut out a 2.5cm circle from the middle, creating a doughnut shape that will become the top of the cookie.
(an inverted piping tip works well for this)
Transfer cookies to a baking paper lined baking tray spaced about 2cm apart.
Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are very lightly golden brown.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Do not overwork the dough scraps.
Allow to cool on wire racks.
Place cranberry jelly in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk well to break it down into a spreadable consistency. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Spread a scant teaspoon of cranberry jelly onto the flat sides of the large / full cookies.
Dust the tops of the cutout cookies with icing sugar.
Sandwich the top cookie onto the cranberry jelly cookie creating a little window of jelly.
Serve with tea or coffee.