Neapolitan Holiday Cookies

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

8 oz. almond paste

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups flour

20 drops red food coloring

12 drops green food coloring

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1/4 cup apricot preserves

6 oz. dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350° F. 

Coat 3 quarter-sheet pans (9 in x 13 in x 2 in) with cooking spray. 

Line each pan with parchment paper, and coat the paper with cooking spray as well.

Place the almond paste in the bowl of a stand mixer. Break it up into small

pieces with a fork. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and add the butter

and sugar to the bowl. Beat the mixture on high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium, add the egg yolks, and beat until incorporated.

Turn the mixer off and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until

well combined. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.

Clean the mixer thoroughly, and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment.

Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the batter until thoroughly blended. 

Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the batter to a medium bowl, then transfer 

another 1 1/2 cups of the batter to a second medium bowl.
Add the red food coloring to one of the bowls, and stir until the batter 

is tinted throughout. Add the green food coloring to the second bowl, and stir

until the batter is tinted throughout. Scrape each of the three batters into one of the 

prepared pans, using the spatula to spread the batter to the edges. 

Bake, rotating and switching the positions of the pan halfway through, until the 

edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool in the pans for about 5 minutes,

then invert onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

To assemble, place the green layer on a large cutting board or a large inverted baking sheet

lined with wax paper. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the top. 

Place the yellow layer on top and spread with the apricot preserves. 

Top with the red layer. Cover with plastic wrap, and place a 

heavy cutting board on top to weigh it down.

Refrigerate overnight. 

Place the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl and melt in the microwave 

on low power about 2 minutes. Spread the chocolate on top of the 

cooled cake, and let dry slightly.

Trim the rim of the cake with a serrated knife to make clean edges.
Cut the cake crosswise into twelve 1-inch-wide strips, then cut

lengthwise into 1 1/4-inch strips.

The cookies will keep covered, up to 1 week.

Pistachio Stars

Ingredients:

8 oz. unsalted raw shelled pistachios

1/4 cup powdered sugar, plus more for rolling

1/4 teaspoon orange zest

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon corn starch

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

To make the pistachio flour, add the pistachios, orange zest, and powdered

sugar into a food processor until very finely ground. Set aside.

Combine the egg whites and salt in a mixing bowl.

Mix with an electric mixer until the egg whites become foamy.

Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat on high, until stiff peaks form.

Add in the corn starch and mix until combined.

Set aside one-quarter of the meringue mixture.

Fold the remaining meringue into the pistachio flour until a thick paste forms.

Preheat the oven to 300°

Sift a generous amount of powdered sugar onto some parchment paper. 

Add the paste onto the parchment paper, and top with more powdered sugar.

Add another piece of parchment paper on top, and roll out until 1/4 inch thick.

Dip a star cookie cutter in some powdered sugar and stamp out stars.

Add them onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. 

The cookies should be soft and chewy.

*This recipe can also be made with almond flour.