Cookie Recipes
Venetians (Rainbow Cookies)
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) can almond paste
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 drops green food coloring
- 8 drops red food coloring
- 1 (12 ounce) jar apricot preserves
- 2 squares semisweet chocolate
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 13 x 9 inch baking pans; line with wax paper, grease again.
- Break up almond paste in a large bowl with a fork.
- Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in flour and salt. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- With a wooden spoon, fold into almond mixture, blending well.
- Remove 1 1/2 cups batter and spread evenly into a prepared pan.
- Remove another 1 1/2 cups batter and add the green food coloring.
- Spread evenly into second prepared pan.
- Add red food coloring to remaining 1 1/2 cups batter and spread in third pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes or just until edges are golden brown. (Cakes will be 1/4 -inch thick).
- Remove cakes from pans immediately onto large wire racks. Cool thoroughly.
- Place green layer on jellyroll pan. Heat apricot preserves; strain.
- Spread 1/2 of the warm preserves over green layer to edges.
- Slide yellow layer on top.
- Spread with remaining apricot preserves.
- Slide pink layer, right side up, onto yellow layer. Cover with plastic wrap. Weight down with large wooden cutting board or heavy plate and place in refrigerator overnight.
- Melt chocolate over hot water in a small cup.
- Spread to edges of cake; let dry for 30 minutes. (Using too much chocolate will cause the tops of the cookies
to crack when cut.)
- Trim edges off cake and cut into 1 inch squares.