Raspberry Limoncello Linzers

Ingredients:

 ■1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened

 ■4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

 ■1 cup light Brown Sugar, packed

 ■1 egg Yolk

 ■1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract

 ■1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract

 ■2 3/4 cups Flour

 ■1/2 cup Cornstarch

 ■1 1/2 cups seedless Raspberry Jam

 ■4 cups Confectioners’ Sugar

 ■3 tablespoons powdered Egg Whites (I used meringue powder)

 ■1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

 ■1 tablespoon Lemon Zest

 ■1/2 to 3/4 cup Limoncello liqueur

In large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese and brown sugar using electric mixer. Add egg yolk and extracts; mix well. Gradually add flour and cornstarch; mix just until blended. Divide dough in two pieces, flatten into discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 30 to 45 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. On lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch thick and cut into desired shapes. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake 9 to 11 minutes, until edges begin to brown and cookies are firm. Cool cookies on sheet 3 to 4 minutes. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely. 

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, bring raspberry jam to simmer over medium-high heat, insert candy thermometer. Simmer, stirring constantly, until jam reaches 225°F; cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Spread 1 heaping teaspoon jam in center of each cookie. 

In medium bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and egg white powder. Add lemon juice and zest; stir in Limoncello beginning with 1/2 cup, add more, if necessary, to reach desired consistency. Pipe or drizzle cookies with frosting; allow frosting to set before serving or storing. Store cookies in airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper, for up to 1 week.  

What I learned:  When you put the dough in the fridge, each half fits perfectly into a sandwich baggies (zipperless), I found this much easier than messing with plastic wrap.  Make sure you keep the preserves warm!  Either turn the heat down and leave it on the burner or something else, but it took FOREVER to put it on each cookie (I used a wooden spoon) and totally hardened in the process.  Reheating and cooling made it hard and gross.  Also, the frosting recipe makes WAY MORE than you need.  Just freeze the rest and use it on some other cookies later in life (I am currently working up a chocolate cookie recipe to go with it).

http://www.newlywife.com/raspberry-limoncello-linzer-recipe/