Rainbow Cookies
I always bake these Rainbow Cookies two weeks ahead. That allows them enough time to mellow, leaving them moist and full of almond flavor
I always bake these Rainbow Cookies two weeks ahead. That allows them enough time to mellow, leaving them moist and full of almond flavor
- Carbohydrate 8.81463034000212 g
- Cholesterol 25.6777083462889 mg
- Fat 6.08965754028023 g
- Fiber 0.487004532039644 g
- Protein 1.5277949306451 g
- Saturated Fat 2.98600566388475 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (25g)
- Sodium 1262.71691297505 mg
- Sugar 8.32762580796248 g
- Trans Fat 0.432234901264531 g
- Calories 94 calories
Step-by-step
- Grease the bottoms of three matching 13-in. x 9-in. baking pans (or reuse one pan). Line the pans with waxed paper; grease the paper.
- Place almond paste in a large bowl; break up with a fork. Cream with butter, sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Stir in flour. In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into dough, mixing until thoroughly blended.
- Divide dough into three portions (about 1-1/3 cups each). Color one portion with red food coloring and one with green; leave the remaining portion uncolored. Spread each portion into the prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
- Invert onto wire racks; remove waxed paper. Place another wire rack on top and turn over. Cool completely.
- Place green layer on a large piece of plastic wrap. Spread evenly with raspberry jam. Top with uncolored layer and spread with apricot jam. Top with pink layer. Bring plastic wrap over layers. Slide onto a baking sheet and set a cutting board or heavy, flat pan on top to compress layers. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, melt chocolate in a microwave; stir until smooth. Spread over top layer; allow to harden. With a sharp knife, trim edges. Cut into 1/2-in. strips across the width; then cut each strip into 4-5 pieces. Store in airtight containers.
Unlike a traditional drop biscuit that relies on chemical leaveners for rapid vertical rise, Italian-style flag cookies depend entirely on mechanically whipped egg whites folded gently into a dense almond paste batter to achieve their distinctive thin, stacked cake layers. Breaking the almond paste apart thoroughly with a fork before adding the softened butter and sugar prevents stubborn lumps from forming in the crumb. When separating the four eggs, ensure zero yolk contaminates the whites, or the proteins will fail to trap the air necessary to produce soft peaks during whipping. Dividing the batter precisely into thirds and baking the thin sheets at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes yields fragile layers that must turn just barely light golden brown at the edges. Pressing the assembled tiers overnight beneath a heavy cutting board forces the raspberry and apricot jams to bind the structural elements together through moisture migration and pectin setting. Because these dense confections deliver concentrated sweetness and rich nut oils, pairing them with a bracing, highly acidic beverage like strong black espresso or unsweetened Earl Grey tea cuts directly through the coating fats on the palate. The bitter notes of melted semisweet chocolate contrast sharply against the sugary fruit preserves while sealing the exposed crumb against staling. Storing the finished pieces in an airtight container for up to two weeks allows the marzipan aromatics and fruit acids to fully permeate the crumb structure.
