The Linzer Biscuit is a classic and iconic pastry. It is a unique and delicious combination of a sweet, buttery, and flaky crust filled with a smooth and creamy jam or preserves. The Linzer Biscuit is also known as Linzer Torte, Linzer Cake, or Linzertorte.
Brief History and Origin
The Linzer Biscuit is believed to have originated in the city of Linz in Austria in 1653. It was created by a baker named Johannes Adler, who was the first to make this treat. He was inspired by a local Austrian recipe that used ground hazelnuts, butter, and cinnamon. The recipe eventually spread throughout Europe as more and more people began to enjoy the unique flavor of this special dessert.
Linzer Biscuit – The Recipe
- Preparation Time: 25 mins
- Cooking Time: 12 mins
- Total time: 37 mins
- Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 160g all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp cinnamon, ground
- Pinch of allspice
- 100g softened butter, cubed
- 60g almonds, ground
- 1 lightly beaten egg
- 100g white sugar
- ½ tbsp. icing sugar
- 4 tbsp. raspberry jam
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add 1 tsp. cinnamon, allspice and flour, mix well. Add butter and rub using your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Now add sugar and almonds.
- Pour in egg and mix using a cutlery knife until all the ingredients come together in large clumps. Knead the dough using your hands until it forms a compact and tight disc.
- Transfer the dough to a flour-dusted work surface and roll using a rolling pin until 5mm thick. Use a crinkle-edged cookie cutter to cut 20 7cm discs and arrange them on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Cut out a small circle from half of the biscuits using a festive cutter. Transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes until set.
- Prepare the oven, preheat to 160 degrees C, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until sandy to touch and the color turns light brown. Take off from oven, leave to rest for 5 minutes, then place on the wire rack until completely cool.
- Dust the cut-out biscuits with the remaining cinnamon and the icing sugar. Smooth the jam over the entire biscuits using the back of a spoon. Sandwich them with cinnamon-sugar-dusted biscuits.
Popular variations
Here are a few ways you can change this basic recipe to adjust it to your liking:
- Chocolate Marshmallow Linzer Cookies: These are more of an edible form of a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. The marshmallow fluff sandwiched between chocolate cookies is genius and delicious.
- Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies: The buttery shortbread cookies filled with raspberry jam may sound traditional, but we are making the cookies with almond shortbread dough. It is nutty in taste and very crunchy in texture.
- Matcha Linzer Cookies: The buttery cookies are filled with a Matcha ganache is perfect for festive holidays. They are warm and delicious for all matcha lovers.
- Cherry Linzer Cookies: The Cherry Linzer has delicious buttery shortbread cookies with cherry filling, it is a hit for Valentine’s Day, but we love to make it all around the year.
- Strawberry Lemon Linzer Cookies: These cookies have freshness from strawberries and tanginess from lemon and strawberry. The filling cuts through the buttery cookies, and it’s perfect harmony in every bite.
