i think magazine subscriptions are really great gifts- they're relatively cheap, more than a one-time gift, and, if they're a cooking magazine, provide endless inspiration. i recently started subscribing to Gourmet and the holiday issue was truly inspirational. in addition to the raspberry and mint lollipops and the peppermint marshmallows there was a recipe for these jam-filled shortbread cookies. since one of my favorite cookies are the pepperidge farms verona's, the strawberry jam filled butter cookies i would eat in a circle, saving the jam part for last, i figured these would be a winner in the taste department. an added bonus was how pretty they were in the picture, like little jeweled ornaments for a christmas tree.
make up a batch for christmas, or anytime, actually. i'm going to make them again soon.
jeweled trios
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
three different kinds of jams, i used golden fig, raspberry and blackberry
make dough:
whisk together flour and salt. beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 4 mins, then beat in egg and vanilla. at low speed, mix flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. divide dough in half and form each piece into a 6 inch disk, then chill, wrapped in plastic, until firm, about an hour. you can chill it for up to 3 days, if needed.
assemble and bake cookies:
preheat oven to 350F with rack in the middle. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
roll three separate level teaspoons of dough each into a ball, then flatten each ball slightly with your fingertips. arrange them in a triangle with the edges touching. using the non-spoon end of a wooden spoon, press an indentation onto each of the three flattened balls. fill the teaspoons with jam, but do not overfill. bake until cookies are baked through and golden brown on edges, about 13 mins. in my oven. cool on baking sheets for five minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. store with parchment sheets between layers of cookies.
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