NUTELLA LINZER COOKIES

Nutella Linzer Cookies

Source: Nutella recipe pamphlet

Cookie Dough
2 cups blanched hazelnuts, toasted and cooled (see instructions)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons Nutella

Filling
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/3 cup confectioners sugar' sugar (optional)

Grind the hazelnuts, cornstarch and salt in a food processor for 30 seconds or until finely ground. Add the eggs and 6 tablespoons Nutella and pulse until the mixture comes together. Pat the dough into a circle, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Divide the dough in half and roll out each piece between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper to 1/4-inch thickness (or 8 x 10 inches). Using a 2-inch fluted cookie cutter, cut out 12 cookies per piece. On one baking sheet, using a 1-inch cookie cutter, cut into the center of each cookie and remove that cutout leaving a hole for the jam. Transfer the cookies to a fresh parchment paper or aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Spread the cookies without the holes (these are the bottoms) with 1 teaspoon of Nutella, then 1 teaspoon raspberry jam. Sift confectioners' sugar over the cookies with the holes and place them on top of the bottoms, creating 12 delicious sandwich cookies.

* To toast the hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool completely before handling.

Makes 12 servings.