Drei Augen

By norsegal8

In Germany, where they are traditional, Drei Augen, which translates as "three eyes", are topped with circles of dough in which three holes have been cut to reveal a jelly center. Consisting of shortbread with ground nuts and spice, these cookies taste deliciously freshly baked. After a few days, the spicy, nutty flavors emerge even richer.

Ingredients

• DOUGH
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 ounces unblanched almonds, finely ground
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• DECORATION
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup red currant jelly

Details

Servings 3

Preparation

Step 1

1. Dough: In a medium bowl, blend the flour, ground nuts and cinnamon briefly with a wire whisk; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugar at medium speed until well-combined and slightly fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Lower the mixer speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

2. Divide the dough in thirds. Roll out each portion of dough between two sheets of waxed paper to form a circle 11 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Leaving the dough circles between the sheets of waxed paper, stack them on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days; or freeze, well-wrapped, up to one month.

3. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Remove one dough package at a time from the refrigerator. Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper, replace it loosely on top and flip the entire package over. Peel off and discard the second sheet of waxed paper.

5. Using a 1 ½ inch round cutter, cut out circles in the dough. Using the narrow end of a 3/8-inch plain pastry tip as a cutter, cut out three small holes in each circle. Space the cookies ½ inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are pale golden, no longer appear raw or shiny and feel slightly firm (lightly touch a few). Place the baking sheets on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Lift the cookies from the parchment with a metal spatula.

6. Repeat with the two other portions of dough, cutting out holes in only one-quarter of these circles in order to sandwich the cookies later. Keep in mind that when there is a mixture of cookies with and without holes, the cookies with holes bake faster. Remove them from the oven with a metal spatula to a wire rack.

7. Decoration: Using a sieve, dust the powdered sugar just over the tops of the cookies with holes.

8. In a small saucepan, boil the currant jelly for 2 minutes to evaporate some of it’s liquid. Cool until just warm. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon jelly on each plain circle, baked-bottom side up. Center a sugared circle on top of a jellied bottom and gently press so that the jelly fills up the three holes. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

9. Store decorated cookies in a single layer in an airtight container.