Kirsch Marzipan Cookies - German Christmas Cookies

Decorative and dangerously delicious, this jam-filled cookie requires a little bit of skill on part of the baker but will reward cookie lovers with its layers of flavor.

Ingredients:

7 tablespoons (150g) unsalted butter
1 cup (125g) confectioner's sugar
5.3 oz (150g) raw marzipan
2 fresh eggs
2 egg yolks
1 pinch salt
1/2 vanilla bean
1-1/3 cups (150g) flour
1/2 cup (75g) corn starch
1/3 cup (50g) cherry jam
4 teaspoons Kirsch (distilled German cherry spirit)
1.8 oz (50g) milk chocolate icing (Kuvertüre)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350° F

Mix the butter with powdered sugar and 2 ounces of marzipan. Add eggs, egg yolks, salt and scraped out vanilla bean. Mix in the flour and corn starch. Use a pastry bag or cookie press to place little mounds on a cookie sheet, making sure to leave enough space between mounds.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Use the left over marzipan and mix it well with the cherry jam and the Kirsch. Spread this mixture on half the cookies and place a second cookie on top of it. Melt the chocolate icing in double boiler and garnish the cookies.