Christmas jam cookies

Although I make them so rarely, every time I do, I ask myself why is that, as there is nothing as perfect as a cookie filled with jam. Raspberry and cardamom, in this case, transfer one to a very festive place somewhere far, far away, where the show has covered the ground while new flakes attempt to find their perfect spot to land on. 

dough:
280 g all-purpose flour
40 g almond flour or hazelnut
80 g powdered sugar (or caster sugar)
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
vanilla powder or 1/2 vanilla pod, seeds
1/4 tsp allspice powder
200 g butter, room temperature
2 egg yolks 

filling:
370 g store-bought or your raspberry jam
10 cardamom pods, seeds crushed

top:
powdered sugar
vanilla


Prepare the dough. In a bowl, add flours, sugar,  salt, and spices. Add the butter and eggs, and knead just until incorporated and smooth (don’t over-knead, or it will be hard and not flaky). Wrap with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

In a pan, add jam and cardamom and let it boil. Boil for 5 minutes on high heat. Take off and cool completely. You can skip this part and use plain raspberry jam, but I love that touch of cardamom. 

When the dough has rested, heat the oven to 200° C. Roll out the dough around 3mm thick. Press out your desired shapes. Leave 50% as they are and cut out "windows" in the other half.  Bake them in the oven for around 10-12 minutes until golden. Take out and cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Transfer to wire rack after. Cool completely. 

When ready to assemble, dust the cookies that have windows with powdered sugar. Put a spoonful of jam on the whole cookies, and top with the other cookies. Leave to soak up the flavours for some hours before serving.