Danish Jam Ribbons

This is one of my favorite cookies to bake at the holidays. They look so pretty, so festive, and they are so light and delicate. One year I may switch things up and roll the dough into little balls, press my thumb in them, and then fill them with the jam. But for now...why mess with success? You can use any flavor jam you want. I love strawberry, but have used raspberry, apricot, and blackberry. Yum!! Here's the recipe straight from the cookbook, "Best Loved Cookies"...with a few side notes from moi.


Danish Jam Ribbons

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 TBLS milk
2 TBLS vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
6 tablespoons jam

Glaze (recipe at the end)


DIRECTIONS
1. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla, and almond extract until well blended.

2. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat at low speed until well blended. Stir in enough remaining flour with spoon to form stiff dough (I usually get add all the flour). Form dough into disc: wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until fir, at least 30 minutes or overnight (I usually shape mine into a rectangle - it makes the next step easier).

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut dough into 6 equal pieces. Rewrap 3 dough pieces and return to refrigerator. With floured hands, shape each piece of dough into 12-inch-long, 3/4 inch thick rope.

4. Place ropes 2 inces apart on ungreased cookie sheets (I always line my cookie sheets with parchment paper - makes clean up a snap!). Make lengthwise 1/4-inch-deep groove down center of each rope with handle of wooden spoon or finger. (Ropes will flatten to 1/2-inch-thick strips.)

5. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon 1 tablespoon jam into each groove. (I place the jam in a Ziplock baggy, snip the end off, and pipe into the grove - much easier.) Return to oven; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until strips are light goldne brown. Cool strips 15 minutes on cookie sheet.

6. Prepare Glaze. Blend 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 TBLS milk, and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth. Drizzle strips with Glaze; let stand 5 minutes to dry. Cut cookie strips at 45 degree angle into 1 inch slices. Place cookies on wire racks; cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store tightly covered between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.