Engelsaugen (Angel Eyes)
A recipe for Engelsaugen (Angel Eyes) from the cookbook, Süss! These classic German thumbprint cookies have a shortcrust base with a red jam center.
Servings 18 Cookies
Ingredients
- 150 grams (2/3 cup) butter softened
- 100 grams (3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 grams (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) raspberry jam
- 50 grams (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the butter, powdered sugar, egg yolks and both extracts.
- Use the paddle attachment to cream them together on low speed and then on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and add in the all-purpose flour. Mix again until the flour is just combined.
- Press the dough together into a ball, place in a sheet of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C) and place two racks in the oven so that they divide it into thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Divide the dough into 25-gram (1-ounce) portions and roll them into smooth balls.
- Space them evenly across both baking sheets.
- Use a round teaspoon scoop to press into the top of each ball of dough and create an indentation.
- Place the cookies back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, take the cookies out of the refrigerator. Spoon slightly less than 1 teaspoon of jam into the indentation of each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, swap the baking sheets and rotate them 180 degrees. Bake for another 7 minutes.
- Once baked and just barely golden brown on the bottom edge, take the baking sheets out of the oven and place them on wire racks to cool.
- Optionally, dust the cookies with powdered sugar once they are cooled.