Ischler Hearts

2 c Flour

12 oz Butter

1/2 ts Salt

3 oz Cream cheese

1 1/2 ts Orange zest; grated

1 1/2 c Sugar

1 1/2 c Almonds, blanched; ground

1 Egg; slightly beaten

1/2 c Apricot jam

Glaze: 8 oz Semisweet chocolate

1/2 c Heavy cream

3 tb Butter

1 ts Rum extract

DESCRIPTION: These delicate heart sandwiches are filled with apricot jam and dipped into a rich chocolate-rum glaze. Preheat oven to 350~. Butter cookie sheets. Cream butter until smooth and soft, beat in cream cheese, sugar and egg, blending well. Sift flour and salt together and stir into creamed mixture. Stir in orange zest, fold in almonds. Divide dough into halves. Roll out oen portion on sugared surface to 1/8" thickness, using more sugar as necessary to prevent sticking. With a 1 1/2" heart cookie cutter, stamp out cookies to buttered sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and scraps. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they are firm and bottoms are light golden brown. Remove to racks and cool completely. Warm the apricot jam and spread a thin layer on half of the cookies. Cover each with a plain cookie. GLAZE: Melt chocolate, butter and heavy cream in top of double boiler or in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Cool slightly; stir in rum extract. Dip each cookie lengthwise halfway into chocolate and place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set. Store between layers of waxed paper in refrigerator. STORAGE: Refrigerated airtight: one week. TO FREEZE: These UNGLAZED cookies can be frozen successfully up to two months. Bring cookies to room temp and then glaze as directed. (The chocolate glaze will dry out and crack when frozen.) From: "Cookies," a Particular Palate Cookbook. modified by T. Grant, Hwwk11b. -----