Raspberry Tart Cookies

Photo: flickr user avlxyz

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 jar (12 oz.) raspberry preserves

10x confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Sift flour and baking powder onto wax paper. Beat butter, cream cheese, sugar and egg in a large mixing bowl until blended. Stir in flour mixture, blending thoroughly. Turn dough onto a sheet of wax paper (mixture will be sticky). Shape into a ball. Chill several hours or overnight.

Divide dough in half and refrigerate other half. Roll out to a thickness of 1/8 inch with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut out with a 3 inch round cookie cutter as many circles as you can.

Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Roll out remaining dough; cut out in 3 inch circles. Cut out centers with a 1/2 inch round cutter. There should be an equal number of solid and cut-out circles. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookie sheets from oven to wire racks. Let stand 1 minute before removing cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Heat preserves in a small saucepan to melt slightly. Spread each of the solid cookies with a thin layer of hot preserves.

Top each with cut-out circle and press together gently to form a sandwich. Place on wire racks. Sprinkle tops with 10x sugar. Spoon a dab of preserves into opening of each cookie. Let stand to firm slightly. Store in tightly covered containers in single layers with wax paper between each layer.