The addition of these Rainbow Cookies to your holiday cookie tray is sure to bring a smile to your guests’ faces. These homemade cookies are far superior to their store-bought counterparts because they are made with layers of almond cake and raspberry jam that are sandwiched between the layers, and they are coated in chocolate. They are so impressive that they completely steal the show at a dessert party.
These vibrant sweets go by a variety of names, including Italian rainbow cookies, Neopolitan cookies, tri-color cookies, and Neopolitan cake. Other names include rainbow cake and tri-color cookies. They give off the impression of being a vibrant and multicoloured sponge cake dessert. The rich almond flavour of the cookies, which is achieved through the use of almond paste and extract, pairs wonderfully with the raspberry jam that is placed between the layers of cake and before the chocolate icing. They look as delicious as they are going to be!
In spite of the fact that these cookies’ multicoloured layers might give the impression that they are difficult to make, the recipe for them is actually quite straightforward. The most difficult part of making a cake is stacking the individual layers one on top of the other.
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR THE RECIPE
- When shopping for butter, you should look for unsalted varieties whenever possible. The butter, too, needs to be at room temperature in order for the creaming process to go smoothly.
- Almond paste, which is what gives the cookies their distinctive texture and can be made from either ground almonds or almond meal combined with sugar, is used. This is not marzipan, and including it in the batter will cause both the texture and flavour of the finished product to change.
- Eggs: the recipe calls for four of them, which might seem like an excessive amount, but they’re necessary for making the layers of the cake light and airy. It is essential to separate the eggs because the whites can be used to make the cookie layers more delicate and light. This is why it is important to do so.
- The cookies acquire a more sumptuous and fruity flavour as a result of the addition of almond extract.
- Coloring agent made from food, preferably gel-based colouring so that fewer drops are required to achieve the desired shade.
- Jam: When I sandwich the cookies together, I use raspberry jam, but you could use apricot jam or any other flavour of jam instead. The results would be the same.
- Use chocolate chips of a high quality, such as those made by Ghirardelli, which melt easily and have a velvety texture in your mouth.
MEASUREMENTS FOR INGREDIENTS
- 1½ cups unsalted butter softened divided (340g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 (8-ounce/227g) package almond paste
- 4 large eggs separated
- 1½ teaspoons almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- red food coloring
- green food coloring
- ½ cup raspberry jam (160g)
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (312g)
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
- Calories: 269kcal
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 62mg
- Sodium: 41mg
- Potassium: 96mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 16g
- Vitamin A: 405IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 18mg
- Iron: 1mg
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- To begin, place the sugar, almond paste, and a half cup of the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer that is equipped with the paddle attachment. Cream these ingredients together. The final cup of butter needs to be incorporated into the dish. Keep mixing at a medium speed until the mixture is fluffy. After adding the egg yolks and almond extract, continue mixing on a low speed until everything is combined.
2. Flour, baking powder, and salt should each be combined in their own bowl and whisked together. The mixing process should be stopped at regular intervals so that the bowl can be scraped.
3. Egg whites should be beaten with clean beaters or the whisk attachment of an electric mixer on high speed in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. This process should take about 5 minutes. Fold the egg whites into the cookie dough very gently, working in batches if necessary, until the two are almost completely combined and there are no white streaks visible.
4. After that, divide the batter into three equal parts and set those parts aside. One of the bowls of batter needs to have some red food colouring added to it and then it needs to be stirred in until it is completely incorporated. In the other bowl of batter, some green food colouring should be stirred in using a whisk. The final bowl is the one that should not be painted.
5. The batter should be distributed evenly between three pans measuring 9×13 inches. Bake the dishes in the oven for 15 minutes before switching their positions for the remaining 12 minutes of baking time. Permit the cookies to cool completely in the pans in which they were baked.
6. while the green layer is still in the pan, spread a thin layer of the jam (about a quarter cup’s worth), and continue to cool the pan.
7. The layer that was not dyed should be inverted so that it is on top of the layer containing the green jam. Following the application of the final quarter cup of jam in an even layer over the plain layer, the red layer should be applied on top. Cover with a sheet or bag made of plastic.
- Place one of the baking pans on top of the stacked layers to finish. Place a few heavy objects on top of the pan, such as plates or cans of vegetables, and distribute them evenly across the surface. Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least four and up to twelve hours.
9. After the food has been chilled, remove the weights and the plastic wrap. Turn it over onto a cutting board, and then trim the corners with scissors to make it more straight. To melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, heat them in increments of 30 seconds while stirring between each heating. Spread the melted chocolate all over the top of the stack as well as the sides. Put it away for about five minutes so it can get a little bit cooler.
- Using the tines of the fork, make a pattern of wavy lines in the chocolate. Wrap it up and put it in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, or until the chocolate has hardened. Using a knife with a serrated edge, cut the rainbow cookie slab into squares measuring 2 inches each.
PROFESSIONAL GUIDE TO MAKING THIS RECIPE
- It is recommended that you use raspberry jam that does not contain seeds. Raspberry jam that has been strained through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
- Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl that is resistant to heat and set it over a small saucepan that contains one inch of water and is set to a simmer. It should take about five minutes, but you should stir the chocolate chips constantly until they are completely melted and combined.
- You need a bowl that is completely clean and dry if you want to properly whip the egg whites. In addition to this, there must not be any trace of yolk in the egg whites at all. You won’t have much success in beating the whites if the bowl isn’t spotless and devoid of any yolks when you start.
- Eggs that have been brought to room temperature are much simpler to separate than eggs that have been kept in the refrigerator. In my opinion, they should have been separated out in the beginning.
- When measuring the flour, do so with caution. The most common mistake is using an excessive amount of flour. When measuring flour, the most accurate and practical method is to do so with the help of a scale. If you don’t have a flour sifter, you can fluff the flour with a spoon, then sprinkle it into a measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. If you don’t have a flour sifter, you can use a spoon to fluff the flour.
- Use a knife with serrated blades to cut your rainbow cookies if you want them to have the most attractive appearance possible. Knives with serrated edges can quickly make short work of materials that have a tough exterior but a softer interior. Before you cut the layers, sterilise the knife by running it under hot water, and then wipe it dry after each cut you make so that the layers look neat.
- It is important not to skip this step because layers need to be weighed down. Because the layers will absorb the jam, the sandwich will have a greater capacity to maintain its shape. When the cookies are cut, they won’t fall apart as easily if you add some extra weight in between the layers.
- In order for the melted chocolate to properly set and coat the layers of rainbow cookies, the cookies should be at room temperature. The chocolate will melt if you do not allow enough time for the layers to chill in between adding chocolate to them.
FAQs
Where should I store the additional cookie that I have?
When kept in an airtight container, the rainbow cookies have a shelf life of one week when stored at room temperature and two weeks when stored in the refrigerator.
Is it acceptable to store this cookie in the refrigerator freezer?
These cookies can be stored in the freezer without any problems. When storing cookies in an airtight container, layer parchment or wax paper between each layer of cookies to prevent them from sticking to one another. Before you serve the rainbow cookies, you should allow them to thaw at room temperature for approximately ten to fifteen minutes.
Do I have a cookie or a cake?
These rainbow cookies are just like having cake in the form of a cookie. What most people think of when they hear the word ‘cookie’ is actually made up of three layers of sponge cake.
Is it the same thing to have almond paste as almond filling?
No. The ingredients for almond paste and almond filling are not compatible with one another. The consistency of almond paste is much more solid than that of almond filling, which has more of a jammy feel to it.
Where did these cookies originate exactly?
The colourful cookies that are popular in New York and are known as “rainbow cookies” have their origins in the communities of Italian immigrants who settled there at the turn of the twentieth century. The layers of green, red, and white are reminiscent of the Italian flag, but the holiday spirit that they inspire makes them a huge hit in December. The Italian flag has green, red, and white layers.
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