Last weekend I received lots of cookie cutters for my bridal shower, and it got me thinking about cookies. I love, love, love to bake and eat cookies and I haven't had the chance to do so in awhile. The thing to remember about cookies that require cookie cutters is that they need time in the refrigerator after you mix the dough. The dough becomes very soft and therefore difficult to roll out, cut, and get onto a sheet tray You will end up with gingerbread men with squished heads or flowers with balls of petals. Some cookies can take a long time make because of the amount of down time between making and baking. However most cookies are well worth the effort! Here's one recipe that kicks plain rolled out cookies up a notch! Why not try these linzer tarts?

Blackberry Linzer Tarts
Michel Richard, Citrus
(From The New York Times)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup skinned pistachios
• 4 hard-boiled egg yolks
• 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup flour
• 6 ounces dried figs, preferably Mission figs
• 2 tablespoons water
• 6 1/2 -pints blackberries
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Place the sugar and pistachios in a food processor. Process until the pistachios are finely chopped.

2. Add the egg yolks, butter and cinnamon and process until smooth. Add a fifth of the flour and process with short pulses until mixed. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the remaining flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until the flour is combined.

3. Gather up the dough into a compact ball. Place on a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk shape. Wrap in the plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

 

4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/4-inch thick. (This dough is very fragile. It may be easier to place the dough directly on the cookie sheet and, with a sheet of plastic wrap between the dough and the rolling pin, roll it out.) Cut the dough into 5-inch circles, gather up the dough and reroll it for the remaining circles. Transfer the circles to the baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool before removing from the baking sheet.

 

6. Place the figs in a food processor and process until chopped. With the processor running, add the water and process until smooth. Spread the fig puree over the baked circles.

 

7. Arrange the blackberries, standing up, over the fig puree. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and transfer to dessert plates.

Yield: Six servings

Happy baking!