Venetians

1 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 can Almond Paste (8 oz)
3 Sticks Butter; softened
1 cup Sugar
4 eaches Eggs; separated
1 teaspoon Almond extract
2 cups Flour
¼ teaspoon Salt
10 drops Green food coloring
8 drops Red food coloring
12 ounces Jar - Apricot preserves
2 ounces Semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 (F). Coat three jelly roll pans with cooking spray, line with foil and coat foil with spray. Break almond paste into large bowl. Add softened butter, sugar, egg YOLKS, and almond extract. Beat until light and fluffy - approx 5 min. Beat in flour and salt. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold into almond mixture until well blended. Divide mixture into three equal portions. Spread uncolored (yellow-ish) dough into one jelly roll pan. Add green color to one portion and mix well. Spread green into second pan. Add red color to final portion and spread in last pan. Bake for 13 minutes or until edges are golden brown (Do not overbake).

Immediately remove the cakes from pans using the foil overhang. Heat apricot preserves in microwave for two minutes on high and press through seive. Place green layer on another jelly roll pan and spread half of the preserves on top all the way to the edges. Slide yellow layer on top of green and spread the remaining preserves on top of the yellow layer - all the way to the edges. Slide pink layer on top of the yellow layer. Cover top with plastic wrap and weight with heavy bread board. Refrigerate overnight. Melt chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute and stir til smooth. Spread melted chocolate to edges of pink layer. Let chocolate harden and then cut into 1 inch squares. After cooled, it's nice to pipe small decorations onto the cut squares (snowmen or xmas trees or any seasonal design)

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