Ever since I made these cookies last Fall I wanted to try them again with different flavor and colors. Back then I used the traditional flavors of this Italian Rainbow cookie. Well, in this version I didn’t exactly break out in a big way.
Besides tinting them spring colors I made one small change. I used holunder (elderberry) jam instead of apricot to spread between the layers.
The last batch made a huge amount of cookies so I halved the recipe and baked the layers in a loaf pan.
The recipe is not difficult but takes a long time to make. Once you have the layers made the cake spends 8 hours in the fridge.
So there is a lot of down time to plan your day accordingly.
Or to play with fondant. Like the leaves on my Autumn version…
I made little fondant eggs for accents on the tops of the cookies.
I did not have a teeny egg shaped cutter. So I used a teardrop one.
And then trimmed the top off it.
I just molded and rolled some shapes by hand to decorate the little eggs.
For the recipe and excellent comprehensive step by step instructions head over to Smitten Kitchen. It’s the recipe I used last time and it’s just perfect.
The recipe calls for almond paste. I made my own instead of using canned and used THIS recipe.
Of course you can use store bought and colored fondant but here is what I do for recipes that call for fondant:
- 1/2 bag (1/2 pound) marshmallows (minis melt faster but you can use regular sized ones as well.)
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 pound of powdered sugar
- Crisco or shortening
- plastic wrap or cling film
- Gel or paste food coloring
- Cover the inside of a heat safe bowl and a wooden spoon with Crisco or shortening.
- Place marshmallows and water in the bowl.
- Microwave the marshmallows for 30 seconds at a time stirring the mixture in between with the wooden spoon.
- When the mixture is the consistency of Marshmallow Fluff, stir in 3/4 of the powdered sugar one cup at a time.
- Cover your work surface with powdered sugar and cover your hands with Crisco or shortening.
- Dump the fondant on the sugared surface and knead the rest of the sugar in.
- Separate the fondant into different parts and color as desired by adding a few drops of gel colors at a time and kneading it in until the color is evenly distributed and you get the color you want.
- Wrap each piece in plastic wrap until you use it.
- Wrap leftover fondant tightly in plastic cling film and store in a zip lock bag.
I probably should have layered them purple, pink and then yellow but I changed my mind at the last minute.
2 comments
Very pretty cookies. I bet that the hazelnut paste you are thinking about will be fabulous.
Mmm. There is something about a colorful layered dessert item that just draws me in. Definitely worth the wait.