Seven Layer Cookies

Easier than they look, and very festive!  

My few notes:

• Emily has an easy homemade almond paste recipe
• These would be great tea cakes (especially in theme colors)
• It's January 21 and I still have some in the freezer (an uncut slab) and they're still perfect.

Recipe and notes from Smitten Kitchen:

I have so many extra hints/notes on these, I’ve moved them to the bottom. Read on!

Makes about 5 dozen cookies (or more, if you cut them as small as I did)

Time: These take at least 11 hours from beginning to end, most of it inactive, but make sure you have a good 2 to 3 hour window

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 (8-ounce or 225-gram) can almond paste
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces, 285 grams, or 2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) almond extract
• 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 25 drops red food coloring
• 25 drops green food coloring
• 1 (12-ounce or 340-gram) jar apricot preserves, heated and strained
• 7 ounces (200 grams) bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking pan and line bottom with wax paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 ends, then butter paper.

Beat whites in mixer fitted with whisk attachment at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Add 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating at high speed until whites hold stiff, slightly glossy peaks. Transfer to another bowl.

Switch to paddle attachment, then beat together almond paste and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add butter and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add yolks and almond extract and beat until combined well, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and salt and mix until just combined.

Fold half of egg white mixture into almond mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter among 3 bowls. Stir red food coloring into one and green food coloring into another, leaving the third batch plain. Set white batter aside. Chill green batter, covered. Pour red batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with offset spatula (layer will be about 1/4 inch thick).

Bake red layer 8 to 10 minutes, until just set. (It is important to undercook. They’ll look like they’re not done, but a tester does come out clean.)

Using paper overhang, transfer layer to a rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Clean pan, then line with parchment or wax paper and butter paper in same manner as above. Bake white layer in prepared pan until just set. As white layer bakes, bring green batter to room temperature. Transfer white layer to a rack. Prepare pan as above, then bake green layer in same manner as before. Transfer to a rack to cool.

When all layers are cool, invert green onto a parchment or wax-paper-lined large baking sheet. Discard paper from layer and spread with half of preserves. Invert white on top of green layer, discarding paper. Spread with remaining preserves. Invert red layer on top of white layer and discard wax or parchment paper.

Cover with plastic wrap and weight with a large baking pan. Chill at least 8 hours.

Remove weight and plastic wrap. Bring layers to room temperature. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Keep chocolate over water. (Alternately, you can do what I did: melt the chocolate 3.5 ounces at a time just to make sure it doesn’t seize up between steps, though that shouldn’t be a problem if you only let it set for 15.)

Trim edges of assembled layers with a long serrated knife. Quickly spread half of chocolate in a thin layer on top of cake. Chill, uncovered, until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes. Cover with another sheet of wax paper and place another baking sheet on top, then invert cake onto sheet and remove paper. Quickly spread with remaining chocolate. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Cut lengthwise into 4 strips (I cut them into more, because I wanted them 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide, as I remember them). Cut strips crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide cookies.

Do ahead: Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 2 weeks. They’ll keep even longer in the freezer.

Three important notes:

I struggled with three things in this recipe (the first two were mistakes, and both came back to bite me in the tuchus) so you won’t have to:

1. Don’t stack cooled cakes: Once my first two cake layers were cool (and still on their parchment liners) and I needed to make room on the cooling rack for the third one, I went ahead and stacked them, their liners between them. DON’T DO THIS. Not because they crush each other (they won’t) or because they’ll stick (they don’t) but because that paper liner is greased on both sides from baking and the chocolate shell never quite stuck right to the pink cake because of the grease accidentally left on it. I can’t tell you how many cookies were rejected because their chocolate fell off. It is too sad to discuss.

2. Be careful dividing your jam: I mindlessly divided the jam wrong/unevenly and ended up with too much between one layer and too little between another. Too little was no biggie, but where there was too much it oozed out and was particularly difficult to keep stacked when sawing through with a serrated knife. So, if you’re using a scale to make two six-ounce divisions of jam, remember that you’ve probably strained out a good ounce or so of jam solids, or in other words DUH. Your divided amounts will be less than six ounces each.

3. They’re easier to cut when frozen: Nevertheless, they tasted amazingly and I was all ready to do a victory lap around my wee kitchen counter, however, when I got to cutting them up and then it all went south. People, these were trying to cut. The problem lies within the differing textures of the layers — the top hard chocolate shell more benefits from a sharp serrated knife (a regular, even very sharp knife will crack the edges when you press down on it), the same serrated knife that gets gummed with jam and tries to pull the soft cake layers in between apart. It was exasperating. It didn’t go well. I packed up some for a party and stuffed the rest in the freezer, only to discover the next day that these cut fantastically when frozen. Seriously. Trust me. I have the gummy floor and gray hairs to prove it.

Rosemary Thyme Spiced Nuts

 

INGREDIENTS
3 c. large whole nuts - I like to use 1 c. cashews, 1 c. pecans, and 1 c. almonds (I usually buy nuts at Trader Joe's)
2 T. olive oil
2 T. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300° F. Place nuts in a medium heatproof bowl.

Pour oil into a small heavy saucepan and place over medium-low heat until warm. Do not let it get too hot – the oil will burn. Add rosemary and thyme and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in cumin and cayenne pepper. Pour the flavored oil over the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir again. Transfer to a jelly roll pan or a baking pan with sides. Bake for about 15 minutes total, stirring after the first 10 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

JEN'S NOTES:

• Very tasty and simple! A nice break from all the sweet snacks this time of year.
• I made a double batch and divided them into little mason jars as St. Nicholas day gifts for co-workers.
• I used half oven-roasted, salted almonds and half unsalted, chopped pecans, which was a good mix for flavor and texture.
• I didn't have fresh herbs, so I used dried rosemary and thyme, and changed the proportions accordingly.
• I added a little garlic powder because, you know, garlic.

Source

Sangria!

 ½ cup brandy

¼ cup lemon juice

⅓ cup frozen lemonade concentrate

⅓ cup orange juice

1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry red wine

½ cup triple sec

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

1 orange, sliced into rounds

1 lime, sliced into rounds

¼ cup white sugar (Optional)

8 maraschino cherries

2 cups carbonated water (Optional)

In a large pitcher or bowl, mix together the brandy, lemon juice, lemonade concentrate, orange juice, red wine, triple sec, and sugar. Float slices of lemon, orange and lime, and maraschino cherries in the mixture. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor. For a fizzy sangria, add club soda just before serving.

NOTE: I got this recipe from Caroline Langfeld who had made it for Daniel's grad party.  We also served it for Felix's baptism without the cherries.  A bottle of Winking Owl red it just right!

Instant Pot Polenta

 Adapted from Bon Appetit's Cacio e Pepe Polenta

6 servings (scales down easily for 4)

1 1/2 c polenta, not quick-cooking (per ATK's recommendation, I use regular Quaker cornmeal)

1 1/2 tsp salt

Black pepper

4 1/2 Tbsp butter

3-4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Whisk polenta and 6 cups water in Instant Pot until combined.  Season with salt and a couple grinds of pepper.  Bring mixture to a simmer on saute mode, whisk again, and seal lid.  Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.  When timer goes off, manually release pressure.  Carefully open lid and whisk polenta until homogenous and creamy.

Whisk butter into polenta, then gradually add cheese, whisking until melted.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Beans and Sausages

 Adapted from The Silver Spoon for Children

1 pack Italian sausage

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tsp olive oil

2 fresh sage leaves (or a sprinkle of dried, or none at all)

2 cans cannellini beans, drained

2/3 c apple juice

Heat oven to 375.  Prick sausages all over with a fork.  Put into an oven-proof dish with olive oil and garlic.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Take pan out of oven.  Flip the sausages, then add sage, beans, and apple juice.  Stir, trying to get beans on the bottom of the pan (not crucial, but they do dry out a little if they're on top).  Bake 20 more minutes.

Remove garlic cloves and serve with pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.

White Bean Salad with Cheddar, Bacon, Walnuts

 2 whole heads garlic

1 tsp. EVOO, plus 1/3 cup, divided

2 T plus 1 tsp cider vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

3⁄4 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1⁄4 tsp dried

3⁄4 tsp salt

1⁄2 tsp pepper

3 – 15 ounce cans navy or great northern beans, rinsed 

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 medium orange bell pepper, finely diced

1⁄2 cup chopped celery

1⁄2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1⁄2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1⁄2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Remove excess papery skin from garlic heads without separating the cloves. Slice the tips off, exposing the cloves. Place heads on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tsp. oil and wrap into a package. Roast until garlic is very soft and starting to brown, 55 – 65 minutes. Carefully unwrap and let cool 10 minutes

3. Squeeze garlic cloves into a food processor or blender. Add the remaining 1/3 cup oil, vinegar, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.

4. Combine beans, bacon, bell pepper, celery, walnuts and parsley in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Add cheese and gently stir to combine. Serve either room temp or cold.

4 Bean Salad

For the salad

Fresh green beans and fresh wax beans – trimmed and cut; steamed to just about tender, then plunged into cold water. I have no clue the quantity – whatever you need to feed the size crowd you are cooking for.

1 can garbanzo beans 

1 can some kind of red beans

4 green onions, sliced and chopped 

1 or 2 stalks celery, chopped

For the dressing

A healthy 1⁄4 cup cider vinegar (in retrospect, it could go up to a 1⁄2 cup, depending on how much you like vinegar)

1⁄4 cup oil (I used olive; I think canola is more usual)

1 T honey 

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1⁄2 tsp each: garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne

Shake the dressing in a jar or mix in a blender or stir in a bowl and pour over the beans, etc. I dressed the salad about 5 hours before serving it and kept turning the container over to make sure everything was coated.