Just in case you have a sweet tooth and you are looking for something interesting to try.  Give these cookies a whirl.

Start with the basic recipe found here:

Italian Party Cookies

 

Then follow these additional instructions for a perfect batch:

1. Just in case people don’t know what it is…Almond Paste is NOT Marzipan.  It is much more dense and will come in a tube similar to what you would find patte in.  It will be in a little box and it always comes in a 7 oz package…so you only need one package.  Expect to pay about 5 bucks for it and you’ll find it usually on the top shelf in the baking section of super target…Publix is in a similar place.  It will be near the baking chocolate and coconut, sugar, etc.
2. Avoid using crisco or margarine…butter will actually make the cake rise better and more even (and taste better…unsalted please).
3. When you are integrating, take some of the butter and throw it in the microwave…only about 1 pat or 2 of the full amount.  Add this directly to the almond paste and use a potato masher to soften the almond paste. Otherwise, it will not integrate well and you’ll have chunks of almond paste flying around the kitchen when you try to blend it…even in a stand mixer.
4. When you separate and color, make sure to also add yellow food coloring to the middle layer.  They say to just  leave the middle layer plain, but the cookies will look better with a yellow middle.
5. For the best results, use those square aluminum pans (the disposable ones).  Butter them and then flour lightly.  Also make sure you place a square of parchment on the bottom of each…this will ensure that the cakes come out perfect.
6. Cut out a square of parchment using the bottom of the pan to trace.  You will need his square later.  Place it in the center of a wire rack and place the rack inside of a shallow baking sheet lined with tin foil.  You’ll understand why later.
7. Parchment is NOT wax paper.  The main difference is that wax paper has WAX on it.  As Alton Brown would say, "That’s not good eats".  Don’t go cheap…buy yourself some parchment, it is good for everything and has long been known as "The Bakers Secret."
8. Once the batter is ready, spoon evenly into the pans.  Remember, the cookie is 3 layers, so the layer of cake in the pan is only going to be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  This is going to make it difficult to spread the batter perfectly in the pan because of the parchment, but a rubber spatula works best.  Make sure that the batter is fairly even.  It will probably take 5 minutes of massaging to get the batter even in each pan.  Tapping the corners will help, but the parchment will shift around on the bottom.  Using a toothpick to hold the parchment through the batter while you get it even will help.
9. Cook time is everything…watch carefully.  The batter should not be overly brown (not much at all), but it should be mostly dry on the top.  As soon as you start smelling cherries in the kitchen (the smell of the almond paste baking), it should be just about done…sit and watch through the glass door until they look done.  Take out all three cakes and let sit while you prepare the chocolate.
10. For anyone who hasn’t worked with chocolate, I recommend a 2 qt saucepan with 6 cups of water brought to a simmer that is like 3-4, not full heat!  Throw a glass bowl in the water and add about 1.5 to 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the pan and let them slowly melt…stirring slowly with a rubber spatula.  Don’t rush…chocolate is delicate.  It should be shiny when you’ve reached the ideal temperature.  If it seems to dry out, add a small amount of butter and reduce the heat.  It shouldn’t happen if you are careful.  Most importantly, keep the chocolate dry.  Even a drop of water will destroy the batch and you’ll have to start over.  You may see some recipes that say you can add water to chocolate…this type of chocolate is MUCH different from chocolate chips, so don’t do it unless you like the smell of burnt chocolate.
11. Grab the wire rack with parchment square.  You’ll notice that the square is the same size as your 3 cakes.  Take a small amount of chocolate and smooth over the parchment…this will make sure that the bottom of the cookies have chocolate on them.  Don’t worry about being neat with it, that is why you are doing it on a wire rack.
12. Place the red cake on the bottom right on top of the chocolate on top of the parchment.  Make sure you place the layer upside down.  This way the surface is fairly flat that is facing upward.
13. Substitute strawberry preserves for apricot…you’ll thank me later.  Make the layer thin, but not too thin and don’t worry about the fruit not laying even…you really don’t need to strain the fruit out.  The cake is spongy, so it will mold around inconsistencies in the cake layer
14. Place the yellow layer next and repeat another layer of strawberry preserves.
15. Place the green layer last.
16. Grab the remaining chocolate and pour on top.  Slowly smooth the chocolate with a spatula into a thin, but even layer on top and then smooth around the sides.  Make sure to smooth it out thin on the sides and push any runoff through the wire rack.  In the end, the cake should be fully covered in chocolate.
17. Sprinkle chocolate sprinkles on top while the chocolate is still warm.
18. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight.
19. If you refrigerate overnight, make sure you take the cake out and bring to room temperature the next morning before cutting.  Use a large knife so you can cut into rectangles / squares.
20. If you have issues cutting, try placing the knife in a pot of boiling water before each cut.  You may find that the top cracks when you cut, this CAN happen.  If you want to minimize…try heating the knife more or letting the cake warm to room temperature longer.

These tips should make these cookies a little less intimidating to make.  Happy Baking!