Linzertorte

This is a well-known Austrian tart, named after the town of Linz. Similar but softer (yeast is added to the dough) than the Italian crostata with jam, the Linzer torte is a perfect festive recipe, which infuses the home with its cinnamon and ground clove aroma. 

I like to make my Lizertorte during the Christmas holidays. It is the perfect tart to welcome family and friends, children and grownups at anytime of the day. I serve it both with afternoon tea or as a dessert, paired with whipped cream. It tastes even better the next day. 

Linzertorte

150 g whole almonds, with skin
150 g caster sugar
200 g white flour ‘00’
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoons ground cloves
150 g butter, fridge temperature
1 egg
370 g raspberry jam
Serves 8 to 10
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

1. In a blender, ground the almonds with half of the sugar. To prevent the almonds from turning into a paste, add some of the sugar from the recipe during processing. The sugar absorbs the oil from the almonds. 
2. Then add the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and baking powder. 
3. Incorporate the butter and blitz into crumbly mixture. 
4. Stir in the egg and pulse into smooth dough. 
5. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
6. Preheat the oven to 180° C. 
7. On a floured piece of baking paper, big enough to fit into a 24 cm round tin, roll out 2/3 of the dough. 
8. Lift the baking paper with the rolled dough into the tin. Using your fingers, gradually ease the dough up the side of the tin so that it stands up above the edge. Smooth the base out with your hands. Spoon the jam over the pastry. 
9. Use the rest of the dough to make a latticework pattern on the top, with strips about 1 cm wide.  
10. Bake it on high shelf for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. 
11. Serve with whipped cream, if you like.