Think about how you feel when you’re in a pitch dark room and suddenly you open a door and allow in a sliver of light… Somehow this tiny bit of light has the miraculous ability to light up the room!

Bringing light – the literal and metaphorical kind – to this darkness is what the holiday of Chanukah is all about.

To help celebrate, I have recently started a tradition of making these Rainbow Cookies a la Chanukah. Colorful with a moist and rich almond interior, these cookies are intensified with a hint of acidic fruit and a touch of bitter chocolate. And in the spirit of Chanukah, they will surely “light up” the faces of your family and friends.

Enjoy the recipe and may you and your families bring much light from darkness!

Rainbow Cookies a la Chanukah

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 oz almond paste
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 drops blue food coloring
• 12 oz apricot preserves, heated and strained
• 12 oz high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Butter three 9 X 13 baking sheet pans and line with parchment paper
3. Beat almond paste in stand mixer until smooth
4. Add butter and sugar and beat until fluffy
5. Add almond extract and then eggs, one at a time
6. Add flour and salt – only beat until combined
7. Divide batter into thirds and place 1/3 in one bowl and 2/3 in a second bowl
8. Add blue food coloring to one bowl
9. Spread each 1/3 of batter into its own pan and bake each for approximately 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack
10. Once cooled, place one of the blue cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
11. Spread preserves on it and place the plain cake on top
12. Spread preserves on plain cake and place the other blue cake on top
13. Freeze for 1 hour to set jam
14. Spread melted chocolate on top and on sides – chill for 30 minutes to set
15. Flip cake onto another piece of parchment paper and spread chocolate on the other side – freeze for at least one hour
16. While still frozen, slice cake into 1 ½ inch logs and slice logs into individual ½ inch cookies. Allow cookies to defrost before serving