3 Layer Rainbow Cookies

[moutonoir 0]

These are my favorite cookies. You've probably seen them in your supermarket: they're almond-flavored, chocolate covered cookies with a pink layer, yellow layer, and green layer. They take a loooooooong time to make, but they are so much better this way than store-bought, and they are so worth it. Ingredients: 7 oz marzipan paste or almond paste (I prefer the marzipan) 1 cup sugar 3 sticks softened unsalted butter 4 large eggs, separated 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 drops green food coloring, or to desired color 5 drops red food coloring, or to desired color 12-oz jar seedless raspberry or apricot jam 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350�F and grease 3 (13- by 9-inch) metal baking pans. Line bottom of each with wax paper and grease paper. Break marzipan paste into small pieces, and combine with sugar in food processor until no lumps remain. Transfer to a large bowl and add the butter. Beat with an electric mixer until it becomes light and fluffy, then add the yolks and almond extract and beat well. Beat in the flour and salt on low speed. Beat the egg whites in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks, and then stir one third into batter to lighten it slightly, as it will be quite stiff. Fold in the remaining whites thoroughly. Divide dough into thirds (about 1 1/2 cups each). Stir green food coloring into one third and red food coloring into another, leaving one third plain. Spread each dough separately into a pan. (Layers will be thin - sometimes I use 9 inch square pans instead if I want a thicker layer) Bake layers in batches in the middle of oven until just set and slightly golden along edges, about 7 to 10 minutes total. Run a knife along edges to loosen from pan, then while still hot, place a large rack over pan and invert layer onto rack, pulling gently on wax paper to release if needed. Peel off wax paper and let it cool completely. Line a large shallow baking pan with wax paper and slide the green layer into it. Spread half of the jam evenly over the green layer and carefully place the plain layer on top. Spread the remaining jam evenly over plain layer and carefully top it with the pink layer (trim edges if needed). Cover with plastic wrap and weigh it down with a large cutting board or baking pan (I usually put cans on top). Chill at least 3 hours. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove the weight and plastic wrap and spread the chocolate evenly over top, but not sides, of pink layer. Let stand at room temperature until set, about 1 hour, and cut into small diamonds.

Notice from BuffaloHELP:

Copied http://www.epicurious.com/recipesmenus

[joeblogg 0]

i tried to make it.it TOTALLY screwed up! i do not know how to cook! so i thought "i'll give it a shot. how hard can it be?"yes that sentence, the worst sentence in the english language: how hard can it be.i found out how hard, the hard way! you know on cooking shows and stuff it looks so easy just mix the crap and then shove it in the oven and take it out and there it is done! thanks for the recipe i might give it to someone who does know how to cook.

[moutonoir 0]

Yeah...it is kind of complicated, especially if you're not accustomed to baking. Try starting out with simpler recipes, such as chocolate chip cookies and such, to get a handle on the basics and understand what certain ingredients and techniques do. Soon you'll be ready to tackle anything!I hope you end up with a good batch of these cookies, whether you or another makes them! They're worth the labor

[iGuest 3]

Marzipan vs Almond Paste3 Layer Rainbow Cookies

If you use marzipan in this recipe, you need to half the sugar and add more marzipan or it will taste too sweet and you won't taste the almonds. Almond paste and marzipan are not the same thing and are not really directly interchangeable. Marzipan is made of about 1/2 almond paste, 1/2 sugar, egg whites and sometimes rosewater for flavor. You wind up with an almost entirely different taste if you exchange marzipan for almond paste, and almost 1.5 times the sugar.When I use marzipan to make these cookies, I use 18 ounces, 1/2 cup sugar and barely get the right flavor. I don't know how you do it with 7 ounces and a full cup of sugar. I guess it's down to preference, but in my opinion, this would be way to sweet.

-reply by Sarah