Tyrolean Biscuits with Strawberry Jam

I propose an Italian version of these delicious Tyrolean biscuits with strawberry jam, also known as Spitzbuben. They are crumbly little cookies that encase sweetness and flavor thanks to the jam.

Ingredients

• 250 g of 00 flour
• 125 g of cold butter, cubed
• 125 g of icing sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 yolk
• Grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
• A pinch of salt
• Strawberry jam to taste
• Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and make a well in the center.
2. Add the cold cubed butter, icing sugar, egg and yolk, grated lemon zest, and a pinch of salt.
3. Quickly work the ingredients with your hands until you have a compact dough.
4. Form a ball, wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
5. After the resting time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3 mm.
6. With a round cookie cutter, cut out the cookies, and with a smaller size cutter or a nozzle, make a central hole in half of the cookies that will be the top part.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C and arrange the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure there is enough distance between the cookies.
8. Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
9. Let the cookies cool on a rack.
10. Once cooled, spread a thin layer of strawberry jam on the whole cookies (without central hole).
11. Dust the cookies with the central hole with icing sugar and place them on top of those with the jam, pressing them down gently.

And now a little curiosity: the Tyrolean biscuits are typical of South Tyrol, a region on the border between Italy and Austria, where the pastry culture blends Italian and Austrian influences. Often, these cookies are prepared during the Christmas holidays, but they are perfect all year round for a sweet afternoon break.