Cookie Recipes
Rainbow Diamonds
Yield: about 7 dozen diamonds
Ingredients
- 7 ounces marzipan paste or almond paste
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 drops green food coloring, or to desired color
- 5 drops red food coloring, or to desired color
- 1 (12 ounce) jar raspberry jam (preferably seedless)
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease three 13 x 9 inch metal baking pans. Line bottom of each with wax paper — letting it extend at two opposite ends — and grease paper.
- Break marzipan paste into small pieces and grind with sugar in food processor until no lumps remain.
- Transfer to a large bowl and add butter. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then add yolks and almond extract and beat well.
- Beat in flour and salt on low speed.
- Beat egg whites in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks and stir one third into
batter to lighten slightly (batter will still be stiff).
- Fold in remaining whites thoroughly.
- Divide dough into thirds (about 1 1/2 cups each).
- Stir green food coloring into one third and red food coloring into another, leaving one third plain.
- Spread each dough separately into a pan. (Layers will be thin.)
- Bake layers in batches in middle of oven until just set and beginning to turn golden along edges, 7 to 10 minutes total.
- Run knife along edges to loosen from pan, then while still hot, invert a large rack over pan and invert layer onto rack, pulling gently on wax paper overhangs to release if necessary. Peel off wax paper and cool completely.
- Line a large shallow baking pan with wax paper and slide green layer into it.
- Spread half of jam evenly over green layer and carefully top with plain layer.
- Spread remaining jam evenly over uncolored layer and carefully top with pink layer (trim edges if necessary).
- Cover with plastic wrap and weigh down with a large cutting board or baking pan.
- Chill at least three hours.
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Remove weight and plastic wrap and spread chocolate evenly over top, but not sides, of pink layer.
- Let stand at room temperature until set, about 1 hour, and cut into small diamonds (12 rows crosswise and 12 diagonal rows).
Notes
DO NOT MAKE THE DOUGH AHEAD OF TIME.