Annabelle’s Austrian Plum Cookies
This recipe is based on a treat I enjoyed while in Austria some years ago, and while we may not be heading to Vienna for some time, we can recreate a Viennese afternoon tea with these cookies. They are elegant, very delicate and quite special — just as your guest will feel at your Pink Ribbon Breakfast this year.
Ingredients
■ 120g softened butter
■ 30g cream cheese (standard not spreadable)
■ 150g golden caster sugar
■ 1 large egg, at room temperature
■ 220g flour, plus extra for rolling
■ 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
■ 30g ground almond
■ 1-2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
■ plum jam for filling (about 1⁄2 cup)
■ icing sugar to decorate Method
Into the mixing bowl, place the butter, cream cheese and caster sugar — blend well until soft and creamy. Add egg and beat till smooth.
Sift flour and baking powder and slowly work into mixture — when half worked in (using your mixer) stop and add ground almonds, zest and very briefly incorporate.
Stop and add remaining flour by hand. Knead to a soft dough — being very gentle.
Form ball and wrap in baking paper and place in fridge for at least an hour.
Roll out 1⁄2 dough on a floured surface to about 2mm.
Using cookie cutters cut out shape and with the other half of dough cut out shape using the same cutter but with nozzle of a piping bag make a little circle in middle of each piece and remove — like a Shrewsberry biscuit.
Place on baking paper trays and bake at 160C for 8-9 mins until just golden and place on wire rack.
When cool, dust the biscuits with the hole in the centre with icing sugar and then sandwich together with a little plum jam.
Recipe makes 40 cookies. Store in an air tight container for up to five days. The uncooked dough freezes well.