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Amaretto Tricolor Cookies – Recipe 🇮🇹

These tricolor cookies are layered with Amaretto infused apricot jam!

These Neapolitan tricolor cookies are layered with Amaretto spiked apricot jam and covered with delicious melted chocolate. These cookies also feature homemade almond paste which you can easily substitute for store bought if you’re pinched for time! This recipe by Karen’s Kitchen Stories makes 36 cookies!

Ingredients:

For the almond paste:

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 2 Tbsp water

For the layers:

  • 1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 7 ounces (by weight) of the almond paste
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 3 large eggs
  • Zest of one orange (I used a tangelo)
  • Orange gel food coloring (or a color of your choice), enough to create a bright layer
  • 2 tbsp. dark unsweetened cocoa

For the filling:

  • 2/3 cup apricot jam
  • 2 tbsp Amaretto liqueur

For the chocolate glaze:

  • 6 ounces dark (60 percent cacao) chocolate
  • 1 tsp light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Process:

Almond paste:

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. 
  2. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until needed. 

Cookies:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Butter three 8 inch square cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and butter the parchment. If you do not have three pans, you can bake the layers one or two at a time. 
  3. Whisk the flour and salt together in a small bowl. 
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the almond paste, sugar, and almond extract with the paddle attachment until crumbly. 
  5. Add the butter and beat at high speed until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. 
  6. Add the zest and stir until mixed in. 
  7. Add the flour mixture, in thirds, mixing on low until just combined. 
  8. Divide the batter into three bowls (I weighed the dough to make sure each layer had an equal amount). Mix the cocoa into one, the orange food coloring into one, and leave one plain. 
  9. Spread the dough/batter into each cake pan, and smooth to create an even layer. 
  10. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. 
  11. Cool in the pans for 20 minutes, and then turn the layers out onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment.

Filling:

  1. In a saucepan, mix the jam and the Amaretto and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. If your jam is too lumpy, blend with a hand blender. 
  2. Let cool for a few minutes before using. 

Chocolate glaze:

  1. In a double boiler, or in a stainless bowl over a simmering pan of water, mix the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter. 
  2. Stir constantly until smooth. 

Assembling:

  1. Place the chocolate layer in a parchment lined quarter sheet or jelly roll pan. Spread it with half of the filling.
  2. Place the white layer on top of the chocolate layer and spread with the rest of the filling.
  3. Place the orange layer on top and press the layers together gently with your hands. 
  4. Refrigerate the layers for at least 5 minutes, while you make the chocolate glaze. 
  5. Spread the glaze over the layers. 
  6. Refrigerate for at least an hour. 
  7. Remove the pan from the refrigerator, and let sit for about 30 minutes.
  8. Lift the parchment onto a cutting board, and cut the layers into bars. I cut mine into generous one inch squares, which yielded 36 cookies. 
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

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