Best Authentic Italian Rainbow Cookies have soft, fluffy almond cake layers with tart raspberry jam in the middle covered in rich chocolate. Although they require patience and love, they are easy to make. Cookies taste better than bakery cookies! Lovely Christmas cookie tray addition.
Ingredient
– 4 large eggs separated– 1 cup sugar– 1 8-oz can almond paste– 2½ sticks 1 1/4 cups margarine – 1 teaspoon almond extract– 2 cups all-purpose flour– ½ teaspoon salt– 25 drops red food coloring– 25 drops green food colouring– 1 12-oz jar apricot or raspberry preserve– 7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate
Direction
1
Set oven rack in middle and preheat to 350°F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking pan, line bottom with wax paper, leaving 2-inch overhang on 2 ends, then butter paper.
2
Stir whites in mixer with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Mix 1/4 cup sugar slowly at high speed until whites have stiff, slightly glossy peaks. Transfer to another bowl.
3
Paddle-blend almond paste and 3/4 cup sugar for 3 minutes. With margarine or butter, beat for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add almond extract and beat yolks 2 minutes. Combine flour and salt at low speed.
4
Fold half of egg white mixture into almond mixture to lighten, then gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites.Divide batter into 3 bowls.
5
Use a food scale to level batters. Serve white in a plain bowl. Keep the white batter bowl. Mix red and green food colorings. Cover and chill white and green batters. When spread evenly with offset spatula in prepared pan, red batter will be 1/4 inch thick.
6
Bake red layer 8–10 minutes until set. Remove layer to rack to cool for 15 minutes using parchment paper overhang as handles. Clean pan, line with parchment or wax paper, butter paper.
7
Cut into 4 portions or more like I did. I wanted 1 1/2-inch cookies. Slice the cookies 3/4 inch wide. If time allows, freeze the cake before slicing. I've sliced both ways and frozen is easier.