Linzer Torte

Oi! Boasting an array of flavors, the Linzer Torte tastes a little like Christmas. Into the dough splashes a mixture of spices typical of the holiday season--clove, cinnamon--along with orange and lemon zest. It's a party of flavors backed up by a buttery and nutty (1 cup finely ground walnut) base.

Zesting the lemon (this is not an optical illusion; it's a giant lemon with a mini grater)

Zesting station!

The dough is very soft, and in our case, we needed to chill it for about an hour before we could remotely begin working it. Even then, it was very soft and sticky to hand and counter surfaces. You'll get a feel for the lattice top from the pictures included here. Start by pressing a bit more than half the dough into the bottom of a cake pan (preferable with removable bottom). Then cut the remaining dough into two pieces, forming half into long strips to form the lattice, and rolling the other half into a rope to pinch off into balls for the sides.

Shaping the dough

With the soft dough, this step was easier said than done--the lattice strips lay crosswise atop the jam, and the balls of dough are placed around the circumference of the torte and pressed together to join all the dough together.

Before baking

The Fiddlehead says the Linzer Torte recipe, is "a great way to show off jams and jellies." Indeed! The shortbread is a great vehicle for a sweet preserve. I used a sour cherry jam and was pleased with how it blended with the flavors of the dough.

\We served our torte with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. At once, delightfully spicy, nutty, buttery, and zesty! Quite a treat! Perhaps I'll cook up the cookie variety toward December.