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Prep time
2 hours
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Cook time
20 minutes
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Serves
12
Author Notes
The sweetness of this homemade cherry jam is nicely off-set by a fresh, spicy shortbread. A perfect summertime dessert that pairs beautifully with tea or coffee. - DolcettoConfections —DolcettoConfections
Test Kitchen Notes
As Merrill pointed out, this brilliant dessert is like "a deconstructed Linzer torte." Instead of jam embedded in a shortbread dough, it's spooned on top. Which means you can make both components ahead of time (up to 2 days) and assemble them to serve. In fact, you should make the shortbread at least a day ahead because the lemon and pepper come out of hibernation with a little sitting. The other great detail about the shortbread is DolcettoConfections's technique for "rolling" it out. Instead of chilling the dough and rolling it, she has you pat the dough (right after mixing it) to a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle between layers of plastic wrap. The dough then chills quickly and is ready for cookie cutting. - A&M —The Editors
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Ingredients
- Cherry Jam:
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1 1/3 cups
cherries, pitted and quartered
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1/4 cup
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
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1/2 cup
cherries, pitted and quartered, divided
- Lemon-Pepper Shortbread
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4 ounces
unsalted butter, softened
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1/3 cup
confectioner's sugar
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3/4 teaspoon
vanilla extract
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3/4 teaspoon
freshy ground black pepper
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1/8 teaspoon
table salt
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1
lemon, zested
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1 cup
all-purpose flour
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1 pinch
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
- Cherry Jam:
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Place 1 1/3 cup cherries and granulated sugar in saucepan. Stir to evenly combine.
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Over high heat, stir cherries and sugar constantly, scraping the bottom of the pot to keep the sugar from burning. Stir until mixture is dark and thick, about 5 minutes.
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Add 1/4 cup cherries to mixture, stirring constantly. Bring mixture back to a boil, about 30 seconds.
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Add remaining 1/4 cup cherries, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to full boil, about 1 minutes.
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Immediately remove pot from stove and pour jam in clean bowl to cool. When jam has reached room temperature, cover and place in refrigerator.
- Lemon-Pepper Shortbread
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In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioner's sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
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Add vanilla, black pepper, salt and lemon zest. Paddle on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds.
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Add flour to mixture. Paddle on low speed until just combined.
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Turn dough out onto counter and shape into rectangle with 1/4" thickness. Cover in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
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Preheat oven to 325 °F. Prepare cookie sheet with SilPat or parchment paper.
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When dough is chilled, remove from refrigerator and unwrap. Using a 1.5" round cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds from the dough. Place on prepared cookie sheet and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
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Bake at 325 °F until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on rack.
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To serve: spoon desired amount of jam over shortbread.
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