Weihnachts-linzertorte (Christmas linzer torte)
This traditional Christmas linzer torte turns the rules of tart making upside down: the pastry is the star here, not the filling. This torte has a thin layer of jam, but the tender, almondy pastry is the real star of the show. This recipe is taken from The German Christmas Cookbook by Jürgen Krauss (£26, Octopus Publishing Group). Photography by Maja Smend.
Jurgen says: "In my family there was never a Christmas without Linzer Torte. Named after the city of Linz in Austria, where it originated, this cake develops its flavour over time, and it also becomes less crumbly. My mother usually made several around mid-November and stored them until Christmas. My version uses gingerbread spice to give the cake an extra Christmassy feel."
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Gingerbread spice
- 5 tbsp of ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground aniseed
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 240g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 30g of cocoa powder
- 200g of ground almonds
- 175g of caster sugar
- 200g of unsalted butter, cold, cubed, plus extra for greasing
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp of almond liqueur, (optional)
- 200g of raspberry jam
- 1 egg yolk, beaten, for glazing
- icing sugar, for dusting
Equipment
- 23–25cm springform cake tin
Method
Place all the spices in a small screwtop jar. Seal tightly and shake well to combine
- 5 tbsp of ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground aniseed
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, almonds, sugar and 2 teaspoons gingerbread spice into a big bowl
- 240g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 30g of cocoa powder
- 200g of ground almonds
- 175g of caster sugar
Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture. Knead in the egg and liqueur until a dough forms, then knead until it holds together
- 200g of unsalted butter, cold, cubed, plus extra for greasing
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp of almond liqueur, (optional)
If you have time, cover the dough with clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour
Preheat the oven to 175°C fan. Grease a 23–25cm springform cake tin with some butter, then line with baking paper
Set aside 200g of the dough. Place the remainder on a floured work surface and roll into a circle about 1cm thick and 2cm wider than your tin. Use this to line the prepared tin. There should be a rim all around, about 2cm high, so cut away any excess and use the off cuts to fill in any gaps (use some of the reserved dough if need be)
Prick the bottom of the pastry case with a fork. Decorate the rim if you wish – a traditional way is to squeeze a small section of the rim between the backs of two forks, then move to the next bit of the rim and do this all the way round
Spread the bottom of the pastry case with a thin layer of jam. (The most important part of Linzer Torte is the pastry – it should not be overwhelmed by the sweetness of the jam.)
- 200g of raspberry jam
Roll out the reserved pastry until about 3mm thick and cut out strips for classic lattice work, or whatever decorative shapes you fancy
Place your decorations carefully on the jam, then brush them and the pastry rim with a thin layer of egg yolk. Bake for 30–40 minutes
- 1 egg yolk, beaten, for glazing
Let the torte cool for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the tin. It will be quite fragile while hot
This tastes great on the day it is baked, but develops much greater aroma and flavour if stored for a week or longer in an airtight container. Dust with icing sugar before serving
- icing sugar, for dusting
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