All I Want for Christmas Is You!

Ok, so my rainy Sunday viewing of Love Actually and mass amounts of sugar have gone to my brain. All I hear in my mind right now is my friend Elana's voice repeating, "I hate Uncle Jamie" over and over in a very poor English accent. This sugar rush has come from the annual father/daughter German Christmas cookie baking session. It normally goes a little something like this:
Me: "Dad can we make Oma Flora's Spitzbuben (a traditional German cookie)?"
Dad: "Ok.. but how about I make them and you watch?"

So I stand there holding a spoon and pretend like I am helping (much like a 3 year old does). haha. The moral of the story is that these cookies take a lot of patience and German "precision" to make. They are; however, well worth the end result (says the helper). They are two almond cookies sandwiched together by red currant jam and covered in sugar. Straight out of the oven with a hot chocolate/mulled wine is when they are BEST. Believe me: Germans do know Christmas.


Oma Flora's Spitzbuben
makes about 24 cookies (12 when sandwiched together)

Ingredients

• 300g, 2 and 3/4 cups flour
• 180g, 3/4 cups unsalted butter, cold
  
• 125g, 4.4oz unpeeled almonds
• 150, 2/3cups granulated sugar
• red currant jam
• powdered or granulate sugar to roll cookies in

*Note: For the Americans, you can find red currant jam in most grocery stores (I got mine at Harris Teeter) but if worst comes to worst you can also use raspberry jam.

Directions

• Use a food processor (or blender is need be) to pulverize almonds. You need them to be about a fine sand consistency.
• In a large mixing bowl, cut the butter into slices.
  
• Add the flour, sugar, and almonds.
  
• Knead the dough (can do with a paddle in the mixer or by hand) until you get a ball. If you are doing it by hand, it takes ages and is a lot of work. If your arms aren't hurting, you aren't there yet. It is meant to be a flaky dough so no worries..
• Pre-heat oven to 200 C
  
• Let the dough sit for 30 mins in the fridge.
• Take out dough, and roll it out on a floured surface in pieces (aka not all at once). It can be hard to work with so just be patient. Chose a cookie cutter without lots of little corners/details to make your life easier.
• Put your cookies on a ungreased cookie sheet and bake until golden brown (about 7-10 min).
• While still warm (not hot), carefully remove from cookie sheet, paint on jam, glue together, and roll in sugar.
  
• Eat ASAP. They are best warm/when eaten within 24 hours(ish).