Linzer Cookies  

3 sticks sweet, unsalted butter, room temperature

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

3 large eggs

½ teaspoon real vanilla extract

1 ½ pounds ground almonds (or hazelnuts, pecans, etc.)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup all purpose flour, sifted

1 – 1 ½ cups raspberry jam (or your preferred flavor)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar using the paddle attachment.  Scrape down the sides occasionally and mix until smooth.

Add the eggs, one by one, scraping down sides after each one.  Add vanilla, almonds, salt and cinnamon and mix well. Add the flour all at once and mix slowly until just mixed in.  Remove mixer and using your hands or a plastic scraper, form dough into a ball or disc and cover with plastic wrap.

Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

When ready to make cookies, roll the dough out to just under ¼ inch thickness.  Using a round cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible.  Gather up the scraps and roll out again and cut our more rounds.  Place rounds on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and chill 15-20 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.   Using a small cookie cutter in whatever shape you choose (tree, star, heart, circle, clover, etc.) cut out the center of HALF of the cookie rounds.  Place on cookie sheets and bake 9-12 minutes, or until edges are just starting to brown.  Remove and cool completely on wire racks.

Place a teaspoonful of jam on top of the whole rounds and place the cut-out cookie round on top, pressing lightly making a sandwich. Let rest for about an hour before dusting with powdered sugar.

These will keep nicely for a few days in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

How is it possible that our last post was in October??

 It seems to me that there is a kind of time-warp that goes on around this time of the year: the closer it gets to December 31, the faster the days fly by.

So now the inn is decked out in all its’ glory:  greenery and Carole’s beautiful gingerbread Brampton house (including a gingerbread Slipper!) are in the living room.  The dining room sports mistletoe and poinsettias.  And as always,  the den is filled with Danielle’s fabulous collection of Santas.

Longtime guest Stokes Tomlin gave his 4th annual holiday reading last weekend to a packed house.  Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” is a lovely story and Stokes reads it so well.  It is followed by a traditional high tea (really, it’s dinner!) in the dining room, all included in the regular room rate.  Keep it in mind for next year; it’s a unique way to kick off the season.

For a festive holiday treat, try the recipe (in the recipes category) for linzer cookies.  They are always so adorable in the endless cookie jar! They’re fun too, because you can change the cut-out shape on the top cookie and make them any time of the year.  (Hearts in February, clovers in March; get it??)

Soon new year’s eve will be here and our daily afternoon tea gets bumped for our 6pm hors d’oeuvres party. There are still some rooms available, so if you haven’t decided what to do this year, come and celebrate with us at Brampton.

Wishing our faithful blog readers a wonderful holiday season and a healthy and happy new year. Hope to see you soon!

Danielle, Michael and Rita