LINZER (lintzer, hazelnut) TORTE

As a child my mother would make this tart and she was very happy to tell us that is a very famous Austrian tart  named after the town of Linz.  

 I remember gathering  in fall hazelnuts from the woods in Romania and than we were so happy seeing this desert on the table.
Later on, we went to Von Trap family restaurant in Vermont, and we learn  that lingonberry jam is perfect for this desert.  My mother and my mother in law used raspberry jam that we used to pick from city of Bran’s woods, where my mother in law had her ancestors house.

Lingonberry  fruits are very common in north of Germany, Norwegian and Sweden, dark red fruits ripped in fall.

 This is  my combination of  recipes from:  NY TIME COOKING   and the one from Marshall Faye, the pastry chef at the von Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont and my mother’s recipe.  

 INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup/120 grams whole hazelnuts, fine ground

¾ cup/120 grams whole almonds,fine ground

1 1/3 cups/170 grams  all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

12 tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature 

¾ cup/160 grams sugar

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons lingonberry jam (or raspberry, or plum butter,

                                     or red currant) 

Powdered sugar, optional

Step by step recipe from NY TIMES follow.

               

MY NOTE: GRIND ALMOND AND HAZELNUTS WITH A BLENDER.

 MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN A STAND UP  

                    MIXER, UNTIL  HAVE A “GATHER UP DOUGH”.

                   IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PUT DOUGH TO  REFRIGERATOR FOR 20-30 MIN, TO GET IT COLD AND MAKE THE TART.

                  

                   DIVIDE DOUGH IN TWO UNEVEN PARTS.  

                   THE BIG PART YOU CAN SET UP ON TART PAN PUSHING SLOWLY WITH YOUR FINGERS, PUT THE JAM ON TOP AND REFRIGERATE. 

               THE SMALLER PART OF DOUGH, YOU SPREAD AS A PIE CRUST AND REFRIGERATE. WHEN YOU TAKE OUT FROM REFRIGERATOR IS STIFF AND YOU CAN QUICKLY CUT STRIPS TO MAKE A DESIGN ON TOP AND ON THE MARGIN OF TART.

                 

BAKE AT 350 FOR 40 MINUTES.

MAKE THE DOUGH (from NY TIMES COOKING step by step)

1 In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine butter, sugar, and lemon and orange zest. Beat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

2 In a separate bowl, mix together ground nuts, the rest of the flour, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture in three parts, mixing each time until it forms a slightly sticky dough.

3 Divide dough into two pieces, one slightly bigger. Form larger piece into a ball, wrap and flatten to a 1-inch thickness. Form smaller piece into a rough rectangle, wrap and flatten to a 1-inch thickness about 4 by 5 inches. Chill 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.

4 Heat oven to 350. Butter and flour an 11-inch fluted French tart pan. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand for 10 minutes. On floured parchment paper, roll the larger piece of dough into a 12-inch circle, dusting the top with flour as necessary. If dough is difficult to handle, chill again. Pat evenly into pan until sides and bottom are completely lined with dough about 1/8-inch thick. Refrigerate or freeze tart shell until firm.

5 Roll out smaller piece of dough on floured parchment paper to rectangle about 10 by 12 inches and 1/8-inch thick. Cut into strips about 3/4 inch by 12 inches. Transfer parchment to a tray and refrigerate or freeze until firm.

MAKE THE TARTE:

1 Spread  jam evenly into shell. Lay strips across top in a lattice pattern. Form remaining dough scraps into a rope 1/2 inch in diameter and use it to encircle outer edge of tart. Score diagonally with the handle of a spoon or flute with fingers to make a border.

2 Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until jam is bubbling and pastry is lightly browned. Let cool, and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve in small wedges.