Linzertorte

Ingredients

• Hazelnuts or almonds -- 1 1/2 cups
• Sugar -- 2/3 cup
• Flour -- 1 1/2 cups
• Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon
• Cloves -- pinch
• Salt -- 1/4 teaspoon
• Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces -- 14 tablespoons
• Egg -- 1
• Red currant or raspberry jam -- 150g 1 cup
• Egg yolk -- 1

Method

1. Add the hazelnuts or almonds and 1/2 cup of the sugar to a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon, cloves and salt and pulse to mix together well.
2. Add the butter to the flour-nut mixture and pulse until the butter is well incorporated and the flour has a mealy texture. Add the egg and pulse until the dough comes together.
3. Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Roll out 2/3 of the dough into a circle. Place the circle into the springform pan and press it out to fill the bottom of the pan. Spread the jam evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge.
5. Roll the remaining dough into pencil-thin ropes. Lay the ropes over the jam about 1/2-inch apart and extending to the border to form a lattice-crust (see photo). Lay ropes of dough around the edge of the tart to form a border and seal in the top lattice crust.
6. Mix the egg yolk with a couple teaspoons of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the crust with the egg yolk. Place the tart on a baking pan and place it in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is cooked through and nicely browned.
7. Allow the Linzer torte to cool completely in the pan, then remove it to a serving platter. Linzer torte is best served the next day as its crust gets moister with time.

Linzertorte Variations

• Crust: You can use blanched or unblanched nuts for the crust. Unblanched nuts will give a darker color to the crust. Walnuts can be used in place of hazelnuts or almonds. Toast the nuts lightly in a 350°F oven for added flavor. Add the zest of 1/2 lemon to the dough if you like. Some pastry chefs add 2 or 3 teaspoons of cocoa for color.
• Homemade Raspberry Jam: It's easy to make your own raspberry jam to top the tart in the summer when they are in season. Add 2 cups raspberries and 1/3 cup sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add a little more sugar or a squeeze of lemon juice to balance sweet with sour to your taste and cool completely before using.
• Use plum jam or apricot jam for different flavors.
• For a more decorative crust, sprinkle the border of the tart with sliced almonds after brushing it with egg yolk and before putting it in the oven.