Pretzel Linzers with Salted Caramel

Substances

Preparation

1. Cookies

   Step 1

   Grind pretzels in a food processor till very powdery; you would possibly maybe additionally’t blend them too great. Converse aside 1½ cups (155 grams) pretzel “flour”; discard ultimate “flour.”

   Step 2

   Return measured amount of pretzel “flour” to food processor and add all-cause flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. Mix loyal to mix. Add butter and process till combination is texture of cornmeal or nut flour. Add egg and proceed to blend loyal till dough clumps.

   Step 3

   Set a mighty sheet of parchment or waxed paper on a mighty board and fall clumpy dough on it. Exhaust your fingers to hasty-mash it into one mound; don’t peril kneading dough. Set one other mighty sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. With a rolling pin, roll out dough into one skinny (about ⅛” thick) mighty sheet. If sheet is too mighty for your counter, divide dough and roll out half at a time. Transfer board, parchment, and flattened dough to freezer and kick again till dough is firm to the touch, about quarter-hour (or so long as you like to quit irrespective of you were going to quit subsequent).

   Step 4

   Preheat oven to 350°. Peel encourage first layer of parchment, spend it to line a mighty baking sheet, and commence cutting out cookie shapes. I spend a ½” and a 2″ round cookie cutter, and though it will likely be logical to reduce the two” round first, I gain that cutting interior circles first, then exterior of cookie second, permits dough to preserve its form better. You savor to must preserve dough icy or this would also maybe be hard to steal pieces from parchment and attend them in form; if it begins to warm up or soften, loyal journey dough encourage into freezer for a pair minutes. Reroll extra scraps. Put together cookies 1–2″ aside on willing baking sheet.

   Step 5

   Bake cookies till edges are golden, 10–12 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cookies icy.

   Step 6

   Build Forward: Sheets of dough would possibly maybe additionally maybe be made 6 months ahead; wrap properly and freeze.

2. Custard and Assembly

   Step 7

   Within the period in-between, warm cream, butter, and salt till butter melts. (I spend the microwave for this.) Cook dinner granulated sugar and syrup in a medium saucepan over medium warmth till deep amber in shade (305–310° on a thermometer, nonetheless you would possibly maybe additionally furthermore eyeball it). Add warmed cream combination and fling to mix. Cook dinner till caramel is copper in shade (245–250°), then pour into a heatproof spouted cup for easy pouring. Let icy till it thickens a bit, nonetheless no longer so great that it will likely be hard to pour, 25–Half-hour.

   Step 8

   Put together linzer lids (cookies with holes in them) in one layer and sift some powdered sugar over. Put together bases (cookies with out holes) the mistaken design up. Give caramel a fling and pour about 1 tsp. slowly, fastidiously, onto each and every noxious, making particular to cease about ¼” from the perimeters. It is advisable to also always add a fall extra or put off a smidge if wished. Repeat with ultimate bottom cookies. Ought to caramel icy so great that it’s no longer pouring properly, rewarm in microwave. Carefully steal powdered lids on top. I desire to keep them in the fridge loyal long sufficient so caramel can firm up, 5–10 minutes. If any lids journey out of alignment, nudge them encourage into keep.

   Step 9

   Build Forward: Cookies would possibly maybe additionally maybe be made 2 weeks ahead. Retailer in an airtight container and kick again.