ITALIAN RAINBOW / 7 LAYER COOKIES

[adam monti]

INGREDIENTS
•      8 ounces CANNED almond paste       (any brand…this is very expensive about $6.00 for a small can)
•      1 cup butter, softened
•      1 cup white sugar
•      4 eggs, separated
•      Almond extract (a tea spoon or less if you want a stronger almond taste, otherwise skip this step)
•      2 cups all-purpose flour
•      6 drops red food coloring
•      6 drops green food coloring
•      1/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam
•      1/4 cup apricot jam
•      1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

DIRECTIONS
(Don’t worry if the edges brown a bit as you should trim them before putting the chocolate topping on which is suggested)
1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line three 9x13 inch baking pans with parchment paper (or use PAM)
2.      In a large bowl, break apart almond paste with a fork, and mix together with butter, sugar, and egg yolks (& almond extract which is optional).
3.      When mixture is fluffy and smooth, stir in flour to form a dough.
4.      In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into the dough & continue mixing.  
5.      Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Mix one portion with red food coloring, and one with green food coloring.
6.      Spread each portion into one of the prepared baking pans.
7.      Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until (edges are) lightly browned. Carefully remove from pan and parchment paper, and cool completely on wire racks.
8.      Place green layer onto a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap all three layers.
9.      Spread green layer with raspberry jam, and top with uncolored layer.
10.      Spread uncolored layer with apricot jam, and top with pink layer.
11.      Transfer layers to a baking sheet, and enclose with plastic wrap. Place a heavy pan or cutting board on top of wrapped layers to compress.
12.      Chill in the refrigerator till completely chilled. .
13.      Melt Chocolate chips over low heat when chips start to melt, add 2 tablespoons butter and a 1/4 cup of heavy cream.  The butter & heavy cream will help when cutting later. (re-heat left over for bottom piece in microwave oven but not too long.)
14.      Thinly but don’t be stingy, spread melted chocolate on top layer & refrigerate.
15.      Once completely chilled, turn over & spread chocolate over bottom layer & repeat refrigeration
16.      Cut into rectangular pieces approximately 2 inches long by 1 inch or less wide

Keep refrigerated … serve & enjoy

[James_Mazetta]

Where are the samples Adam?