...or rather Linzer everything!
Linzer Torte is a traditional Austrian tart, similar to a crostata, with a shortcrust enriched with nuts and spices, filled with jam (traditionally redcurrant) and topped by a lattice of dough strips.
I've been making some version of it for many years now, trying out different recipes, always loving its flavourful mix of nuts, cinnamon and fruity, slightly acidic jam.
This time, I've incorporated some rye flour into the dough, which in my opinion makes it even more delicious.
It's easy here to work with wholegrain flours (you could try a combination of buckwheat and rice for a gluten-free version) and unrefined sugar, both help to make it look and taste beautifully dark and rustic.
Please note that I've never eaten Linzer Torte in Austria, or even made by an Austrian, so please don't expect an orthodox version if there is one.
Anyway, this dough is so good and easy to work with, and you can use it for a tart, little tartlets, cookies...whatever you fancy.
Recipe (adapted from this one)
100 grams all purpose flour
100 grams wholegrain rye flour
200 grams ground almonds
200 grams cold butter
65 grams panela or any other unrefined sugar (or more to taste)
1 egg
0,5 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
zest of half a lemon
a pinch of salt
200 grams jam (I used a 100% fruit cherry jam here. raspberry works great too, for example)
confectioner's sugar
In a big bowl or on a flat surface, combine the flours, baking powder, ground almonds, panela, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt. Cut the butter into little cubes and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips, until it looks like wet sand. Add the egg and knead until you have a smooth dough. Shape it into a ball and leave it in the fridge for at least an hour.
Take your dough out and preheat the oven to 180º C.
If you want to bake a tart, roll 2/3 of the dough out on a floured surface and transfer it to your spring-form tin or tart ring (if you use a 24 cm diameter one, you'll end up with scraps to bake some cookies, too), shaping a little edge. Fill it with the jam.
Roll out the other part of the dough and cut it into strips to make a lattice topping (seal strips with the edge of the tart pressing the pieces together with your fingertips) or cut out little shapes with cookie cutters to top the tart.
If your tarts are smaller, do the same with smaller portions of dough.
If you prefer to bake cookies, roll out your dough (it's easier to work with half the dough and leave the other half in the fridge in order to maintain it cold and easier to work with), cut out your cookies with a cookie cutter and transfer them to a lined baking sheet. In this case, I find it easier to fill the cookies with jam after baking.
Bake for about 35 minutes for a tart, less for cookies (15-20 minutes). Leave to cool on a rack.
Dust with confectioner's sugar.
Both the tart and the cookies keep well for some days wrapped in foil or stored in an airtight container.
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