Chef notes
This decadent Linzer cookie is inspired by the best of the Treasure State. A jam of mountain huckleberry, sandwiched by a cookie that has pine nuts in the dough, all capped with a confetti of wildflowers, precious metals and sweet sugars. Generations both young and old will be enchanted by this Big Sky cookie!
Special kitchen equipment: Food processor, plus a canner or large stock pot.
Technique tip: The jam can be made any time in advance, and if properly sealed in jars, will be good at room temperature for up to one year. If not sealed, it will stay fresh in the fridge for a month. If dough is getting sticky, use powdered sugar to soak up excess moisture to maintain a moist cookie.
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder
- 4 cups mashed huckleberries
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons powdered pectin
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, scraped
- 1 cardamom pod
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup ground almonds (skinless white almond slivers, ground)
- 1/4 cup ground pine nuts
- 1¾ sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon pine, spruce or fir powder
- 2 tablespoons dry edible flowers, crumbled (such as violets, chamomile, aster, rose, calendula or mint)
- Edible gold or silver (optional)
Preparation
Make the jam:
1.In a 1-cup liquid measure, stir the calcium powder with ½ cup water until well combined; set aside.
2.Meanwhile, place 5 cleaned (8-ounce) canning jars into a canner, fill ⅔ of the way up with cold water, bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
3.Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars and let them air dry.
4.Add more water, if necessary, to fill the canner ⅔ of the way up and return to a boil.
5.Meanwhile, place the cleaned bands and lids into a small saucepan, fill ⅔ of the way up with cold water, bring to a low boil and then turn off the heat, leaving the bands and lids submerged until ready to use.
6.In a small saucepan, bring the split vanilla bean and its seeds, the cardamom and bourbon to a simmer.
7.Tilt the pan, and using a long-neck lighter, carefully ignite the liquid.
8.When the flame burns out, add the honey, stir to combine, remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes, then carefully remove vanilla bean and cardamom pod.
9.In a 1-cup liquid measure, briskly stir the pectin with ½ cup warm water; set aside.
10.In a large saucepan, stir the mashed huckleberries, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the calcium water until well combined.
11.Bring the fruit mixture to a boil, stirring often.
12.Add the honey-bourbon mixture, return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
13.Carefully transfer one-quarter of the jam mixture to a blender, add the pectin mixture and process until smooth.
14.Return the puree to the saucepan, stir into the fruit mixture and bring to a boil.
15.Using canning tongs, carefully remove the bands and lids from the hot water.
16.Fill the jars with the jam leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
17.Wipe the rims clean and screw on the 2-piece lids.
18.Using the canning tongs, carefully submerge the jars into the canner with the boiling water, making sure they are fully submerged by at least 1 inch.
19.Process in the boiling water for 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 feet above sea level).
20.Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
21.Check the seals to make sure they are concave. Any jar that hasn’t fully sealed should be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month. Fully sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to one year.
Make the cookies:
1.In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and ground almond and pine nuts until well combined.
2.In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and almond extract until light and fluffy. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until fully combined.
3.Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, up to overnight.
4.Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
5.On a lightly powdered sugared surface, roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness.
6.Using a 2 ½-inches round cookie cutter, cut out 32 rounds. Using a smaller round cutter, cut ½- to ¾- inch holes, in the center of 16 of the cookies.
7.Reroll the excess dough, chilling for 15 minutes before using, if necessary.
8.Transfer the rounds to parchment paper-lined sheet pans and bake until the edges are brown, for 8 to 10 minutes.
9.Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the pine powder, flowers and, and if using, gold dust to combine.
11.Spread a layer of jam on the 16 cookies without holes.
12.Dust remaining cookies with confectioners’ sugar.
13.Place cookies with holes on top of the cookies with jam to make a sandwich cookie.
14.Sprinkle scant pinches of the edible flower mixture over the cookies.
