The Ischler
A delicate Austrian sandwich cookie made with ground almonds and butter, filled with apricot preserves and dark chocolate ganache. These elegant cookies feature a perfect balance of nutty, fruity, and chocolate flavors.
Ingredients
- •2 cups sliced almonds
- •1⅛ cups powdered sugar
- •16 tbsp unsalted butter
- •½ large egg
- •1 tsp vanilla extract
- •1.8125 cups bleached all-purpose flour
- •¼ tsp fine sea salt
- •2⅔ cups dried apricots
- •1⅛ cups granulated sugar
- •2 tsp lemon zest
- •1 tsp apricot brandy
- •8 oz bittersweet chocolate
- •¼ cup heavy cream
- •1 piece equipment
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Grate almonds using nut grater.
5 min
- 2.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with flat beater, beat almonds, powdered sugar, and butter until fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and vanilla; beat until blended.
10 min
- 3.
Whisk together flour and salt. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix until incorporated and dough begins to come away from sides of bowl.
5 min
- 4.
Scrape mixture into a plastic bag and press it together. Remove dough from bag and transfer to a large sheet of plastic wrap. Use the edges of the wrap to knead dough until smooth.
5 min
- 5.
Divide dough into quarters. Wrap with plastic and flatten into disks. Place in freezer bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
120 min
- 6.
In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, soak dried apricots in 2 cups water for 2 hours. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes on the lowest heat until apricots are very soft. If water evaporates, add a little extra.
150 min
- 7.
In a food processor, pulse apricots and liquid with sugar, lemon zest, and brandy.
5 min
- 8.
Return mixture to saucepan and simmer, stirring, 10-15 minutes, until deep orange and thick.
15 min
- 9.
Transfer to a bowl; let cool. (You will need only about 2/3 cup, but the leftover will keep almost indefinitely when refrigerated.)
30 min
- 10.
Preheat oven to 350°.
10 min
- 11.
Set 1 dough disk on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour dough and re-cover it with plastic wrap. Let dough soften until malleable, about 10 minutes. Roll 1/8" thick, adding more flour if necessary to keep dough from sticking.
15 min
- 12.
Cut out 20 cookies. Place 1/2" apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Set aside scraps; cover with plastic wrap.) Bake cookies 4 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheet then continue baking for 2-6 minutes, or until edges brown.
10 min
- 13.
Let cookies cool on a wire rack.
15 min
- 14.
Repeat process with remaining dough disks. (After the last batch is cut, you can knead together all the scraps and repeat chilling, rerolling, and cutting.)
45 min
- 15.
Heat chocolate in a bowl set over hot water (not touching), stirring with a silicone spatula, until almost completely melted. Remove from heat and stir until fully melted.
10 min
- 16.
Add cream; stir until smooth. (The mixture should drop thickly from the spatula. If the ganache thickens before it's used, reheat in the microwave in 3-second bursts.) Set aside.
5 min
- 17.
Spread bottoms of half of the cookies with a thin layer of apricot filling. Spread bottoms of the remaining cookies with a slightly thicker ganache layer. Set the chocolate cookies, coated side down, on the apricot cookies. Let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes.
30 min
- 18.
Store airtight at room temperature, 5 days; frozen, 6 months.
