Linzer Bars
Start to finish: 1¾ hours (35 minutes active), plus cooling.
Makes 16 bars
INGREDIENTS
161 grams (¾ cup) white sugar
55 grams (½ cup) walnuts
228 grams (1¾ cups) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon table salt, plus a pinch
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest, divided
141 grams (10 tablespoons) cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg, separated
240 grams (¾ cup) seedless raspberry jam (see headnote)
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist an 8-inch square metal baking pan or glass baking dish with cooking spray, then line it with two 7-by-14-inch pieces of kitchen parchment placed perpendicular to each other and with the excess hanging over the edges of the pan. Mist with cooking spray.
In a food processor, combine the white sugar and walnuts; process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, allspice, ¼ teaspoon of the salt and 2 teaspoons of the lemon zest; pulse until combined, 10 to 12 pulses. Scatter the butter over the mixture, then pulse until incorporated and the mixture resembles damp sand, 8 to 10 pulses. Add the egg yolk and process until it forms large, evenly moistened clumps (it will not come together into a ball), 45 to 60 seconds.
Turn the mixture out onto the counter. Using your hands, firmly press into a rough log, then use a chef’s knife or bench scraper to cut off a third of it. Place the smaller piece on the center of a 12-by-16-inch sheet of kitchen parchment; set the remainder aside at room temperature. Using a rolling pin, roll out the smaller piece to a rough 8-inch square about ¼ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes into the dough; leave the shapes in place with the scraps. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered.
Break the remaining dough into bits, evenly scattering them in the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press into an even layer. Bake until slightly puffed and just set, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the jam, remaining pinch of salt and remaining 2 teaspoons lemon zest.
When the crust is done, cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, beat the egg white until slightly foamy; set aside.
Scrape the jam mixture onto the center of the cooled crust and spread in an even layer. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Working quickly, peel away the dough scraps and reserve. Lift off each cutout by sliding a small offset spatula or butter knife under it, then place on the jam, creating the design of your choice. If more cutouts are needed, gather the scraps, roll them into a ¼-inch thickness, stamp out additional shapes and position on the jam.
Lightly brush the cutouts with the beaten egg white, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake until the top is golden brown and the jam is bubbling, about 50 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1½ hours. Using the parchment overhang as handles, lift the bars out of the pan and set on a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.
Check out more recipes from the episode here.
