Apricot Shortbread Sandwiches

FINISHING
2 tb Confectioners’ sugar
1 c Apricot jam

1. In a mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer set at medium speed
until soft and light. Beat in sugar and continue beating until sugar is
completely incorporated. Beat in yolks, one at a time, beating smooth
between each addition, scraping bowl and beaters occasionally. Sift flour
over butter and egg mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula, making sure
flour is completely absorbed.

2. Stretch a piece of plastic wrap on a plate or cookie sheet and scrape
dough onto wrap. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and press dough
into a 10-inch square, about 1/2-inch thick. Chill dough until firm, about
2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover 2 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans
with parchment or foil. Divide dough into quarters and remove one quarter
at a time from refrigerator to roll.

4. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and lightly flour dough.
Pound dough gently with rolling pin to soften it and roll dough to an
8-inch square about 3 1/6-inch thick. Cut dough into rounds with a plain 1
3/4 to 2-inch cutter. Arrange rounds on pans, about 1-inch apart, as they
are cut. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, refrigerating scraps
between each rolling. After all the dough has been rolled and cut, press
scraps together and re-roll them to make more cookie bases.

5. Count bases and make a hole in half the bases with a cutter or pastry
tube in the center of each. Place pans of cookies in oven and immediately
lower temperature to 325 degrees. Bake the cookies about 20 minutes, until
they are pale golden and firm. Cool on pans on racks.

6. To finish cookies, lightly dust the pierced cookie bases with
confectioners’ sugar. Arrange unpierced bases, upside down, on a clean pan.
Bring jam to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat and strain; allow
jam to reduce for a minute or two, until slightly thickened. Gently spoon
about 1/4 teaspoon of jam on each unpierced base, spreading it to within
1/8-inch of the edge. Top with pierced cookies. Place remaining jam in a
small plastic bag and force it into one corner. Snip a small hole in the
corner and squeeze a drop of jam into each opening in tops of cookies.
Allow jam to dry.