Raspberry Florentine Cookies

When I decided to make a string of Biergarten recipes last week, I have to admit this was the one I was looking forward to making this recipe all week.  When I was growing up, my mother used to take part in neighborhood cookie swaps where around Christmas, a group of people would get together and bring homemade cookies, then everybody would "swap" cookies and recipes and go home with a huge tray of a bunch of different cookies.  It was almost a solid guarantee that she either made or came home with Florentine cookies, which were my favorite (I love fruit cookies!) So for me, these have not just Disney memories but childhood memories...  And I've always said that recipes that bring out food memories are the best recipes.

Making this recipe is super simple, but I took some shortcuts that did change the recipe a bit from how it's served at Disney.  Namely, I didn't roll the cookie dough nearly thin enough.  This dough is supposed to be super thin, like thin crust pizza thin, and I didn't go quite that thin.  Blame it on my recent move...  I know I have a rolling pin, but I've yet to unpack the box that I apparently put it in!  I also put it in a glass dish instead of a large cookie pan, which I wouldn't suggest, because my cookie sheets were already in use.  I definitely suggest that these cookies go on a foil-lined cookie sheet for the best results.  And finally, I used a lot of jelly...  Maybe a bit too much.  What can I say? I love fruit cookies!

This recipe lived up to both my food memories and the recipe I had at Biergarten in EPCOT.
 The sugar cookie was moist and crunchy and there was just the right level of fruity ooey-gooeyness.  I actually think the sugar cookie base was yummy enough as a stand-alone sugar cookie even without the fruit on top.  I think, with the tweaks above, I'll be making this every Christmas too!

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Raspberry Florentine Cookies

As is served at Biergarten, Germany Pavilion, EPCOT

Cookie Dough  

°o°  2 cups all-purpose flour    
°o°  1/2 teaspoon salt  

°o°  1/2 teaspoon baking powder  

°o°  1 cup unsalted butter, softened  

°o°  1 cup sugar 

°o°  1 egg  

°o°  1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Filling  

°o°  2 cups raspberry jam (or jam of your choice)  

°o°  1 cup sliced, blanched almonds

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat together butter, sugar until fluffy and light.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Once incorporated, slowly add the flour mixture.  Mix until just combined.  Do not overmix!

Place dough on a foil or parchment lined cookie sheet, spreading as thin as possible.  Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm and easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove from fridge and roll flat to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.  Place on a foil lined and
greased cookie sheet.  Spread with jam and top with almonds.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and the edges are browned.  Edges may brown faster than the center of the cookie.

Once cooked, cut into individual cookies.  To prolong freshness, store in sealed container in the refrigerator.  

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