Rainbow Cookies

Rainbow cookies are one of those things that you just eat when you see them. They are also (for me) very Long Island. They rank right up there with bagels, black and white cookies, egg creams, and all of those things I enjoyed growing up. When I saw this recipe (and the blog post from Amateur Gourmet Adam Roberts), I no longer wondered why they are so easy to eat. Um, FIVE sticks of butter!? Sign me up - but get me an appointment with my cardiologist, too.

Grandma D's Three-Color Cookies
from the kitchen of Deborah DiClementi

Preheat oven to 350 F.
(Double batch makes two pans worth.)

Beat 8 large egg whites with one cup sugar until fluffy but not quite stiff. Set aside in bowl.

Beat 2 7-8 oz tubes of almond paste

Add:

• 1 cup sugar
• 5 sticks butter, softened
• 8 egg yolks
• 2 Tbs. almond extract

Reduce speed, add 4 cups flour.

Fold in egg whites.

Separate evenly into 3 bowls.

Leave one white, add green food coloring to one and red to other.

Pans should be buttered, layered with parchment and buttered again.

Melt about 22 oz Callebaut bittersweet chocolate over a water bath.

Melt about 18 oz seedless raspberry jam in a pan and set aside.

You now have 3 colors in separate bowls . . . eyeball and put half of red in one pan, half in the other then do the same with white and green. Cook for about 10 mins, you want them soft and slightly underbaked so you really must watch them. Turn them 1/2 turn at 5 mins.

Spread jam evenly over the green layer.

Carefully remove white layer, flip it over onto a cookie sheet if need be, then slide it onto the green layer.

Spread jam evenly over white layer.

Lay the red layer on top. All three layers will now be stacked in the green pan, which is very convenient. Put in fridge to chill slightly, maybe 15 mins.

Do the other pan's worth.

Now spread, as evenly as possible, warm chocolate over the top. I hate to do this to you, but it has to be not too thick and not too thin. If it's not just right it will crack.

Now place in fridge until set. In a cold fridge (and I always turn mine up for this) leave about 30 mins.

Take out and just flip over on your hand and place back in same tray.

Layer chocolate on this side.

Chill until set, 30-45 mins.

Now, these are actually fresh for a couple of days without cutting. BUT they cut better immediately. If you cut them the next day just be sure to leave them out for a while so the chocolate loses a little stiffness.

The hot knife is not great with these cookies I don't like what it does to the chocolate edges and it's not too kind to the soft almond centers.