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Italian Rainbow Cookies

By Erika Bruce

Published on October 8, 2015

Time

1¾ hours, plus 2 hours cooling

Yield

Makes 60 cookies

Italian Rainbow Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces/298 grams) sugar 8 ounces (227 grams) almond paste, cut into 1-inch pieces7 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly⅛ teaspoon red food coloring ⅛ teaspoon green food coloring ⅔ cup seedless raspberry jam 1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Before You Begin

With their green, white, and red stripes, these cookies are meant to look like diminutive Italian flags. The multicolored layers of cake are made with almond paste, filled with raspberry jam, and topped with rich dark chocolate.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Make parchment paper sling by folding 1 long sheet of parchment 13 inches wide and laying across width of pan, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. Grease parchment.
  2. Combine flour and baking powder and sift into bowl; set aside. Process sugar and almond paste in food processor until combined, 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer sugar mixture to bowl of stand mixer; add eggs, vanilla, and salt. Fit mixer with whisk and whip mixture on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add melted butter. Slowly add flour mixture until just combined.
  3. Transfer 2 cups batter to prepared pan and spread in even layer with offset spatula. Bake until top is set and edges are just starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in pan. Using parchment overhang, lift cake out of pan and transfer to wire rack. Let cake and pan cool completely.
  4. Divide remaining batter between 2 bowls. Stir red food coloring into first bowl and green food coloring into second bowl. Make new parchment sling for now-empty pan and repeat baking with each colored batter, letting pan cool after each batch.
  5. Invert red layer onto cutting board and gently remove parchment. Spread 1/3 cup jam evenly over top. Invert plain layer onto red layer and gently remove parchment. Spread remaining 1/3 cup jam evenly over top. Invert green layer onto plain layer and gently remove parchment.
  6. Microwave chocolate chips in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly over green layer. Let set for 2 minutes, then run fork in wavy pattern through chocolate. Let cool until chocolate has set, 1 to 2 hours. Using serrated knife, trim away edges. Cut lengthwise into 5 equal strips (about 1 1/2 inches wide) and then crosswise into 12 equal strips (about 1 inch wide). Serve.
Italian Rainbow Cookies

Italian Rainbow Cookies

Save

Time

1¾ hours, plus 2 hours cooling

Yield

Makes 60 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
8 ounces (227 grams) almond paste, cut into 1-inch pieces
7 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
⅛ teaspoon red food coloring
⅛ teaspoon green food coloring
⅔ cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
8 ounces (227 grams) almond paste, cut into 1-inch pieces
7 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
⅛ teaspoon red food coloring
⅛ teaspoon green food coloring
⅔ cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
8 ounces (227 grams) almond paste, cut into 1-inch pieces
7 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
⅛ teaspoon red food coloring
⅛ teaspoon green food coloring
⅔ cup seedless raspberry jam
1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

With their green, white, and red stripes, these cookies are meant to look like diminutive Italian flags. The multicolored layers of cake are made with almond paste, filled with raspberry jam, and topped with rich dark chocolate.

Before You Begin

With their green, white, and red stripes, these cookies are meant to look like diminutive Italian flags. The multicolored layers of cake are made with almond paste, filled with raspberry jam, and topped with rich dark chocolate.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Make parchment paper sling by folding 1 long sheet of parchment 13 inches wide and laying across width of pan, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. Grease parchment.
  2. Combine flour and baking powder and sift into bowl; set aside. Process sugar and almond paste in food processor until combined, 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer sugar mixture to bowl of stand mixer; add eggs, vanilla, and salt. Fit mixer with whisk and whip mixture on medium-high speed until pale and thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add melted butter. Slowly add flour mixture until just combined.
  3. Transfer 2 cups batter to prepared pan and spread in even layer with offset spatula. Bake until top is set and edges are just starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in pan. Using parchment overhang, lift cake out of pan and transfer to wire rack. Let cake and pan cool completely.
  4. Divide remaining batter between 2 bowls. Stir red food coloring into first bowl and green food coloring into second bowl. Make new parchment sling for now-empty pan and repeat baking with each colored batter, letting pan cool after each batch.
  5. Invert red layer onto cutting board and gently remove parchment. Spread 1/3 cup jam evenly over top. Invert plain layer onto red layer and gently remove parchment. Spread remaining 1/3 cup jam evenly over top. Invert green layer onto plain layer and gently remove parchment.
  6. Microwave chocolate chips in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly over green layer. Let set for 2 minutes, then run fork in wavy pattern through chocolate. Let cool until chocolate has set, 1 to 2 hours. Using serrated knife, trim away edges. Cut lengthwise into 5 equal strips (about 1 1/2 inches wide) and then crosswise into 12 equal strips (about 1 inch wide). Serve.

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