Strawberries And Cream With Apricot-almond Cookies

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup apricot jam, room temperature, divided
• 1 lb fresh strawberries, rinsed, & hulled and halved or quartered or 1 lb frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Recipe

• 1 to prepare cookie dough:.
• 2 in small mixing bowl stir flour and salt together.
• 3 in large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and almond extract at high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. gradually, mix in flour.
• 4 on lightly floured surface, knead dough 2-3 minutes to smooth out. pat dough into 1" thick square, wrap completely in plastic wrap and chill thoroughly, several hours or overnight.
• 5 preheat oven to 350ºf with rack positioned in the middle of the oven.
• 6 oil or spray a cookie sheet and set aside.
• 7 on lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 10" square. using two spatulas, transfer to cookie sheet.
• 8 prick the entire surface of the dough with a fork.
• 9 to make the cookie topping:.
• 10 in small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon and almonds. set aside.
• 11 spread dough with 1-1/2 tablespoons of the jam about 1/4" from the edges.
• 12 sprinkle jam-covered dough with sugar, cinnamon and almond mixture evenly.
• 13 bake until golden, about 20 minutes. place pan on rack until the square is firm enough to be easily moved. transfer to rack and cool completely.
• 14 once cooled, spread the square with remaining jam. trim off edges.
• 15 cut square into 9 small square each 3"x3".
• 16 eat one square.
• 17 to assemble:.
• 18 place one cookie square on dessert plate, almond-side facing up.
• 19 sweeten whipped cream by mixing in sugar.
• 20 spread a small dollop of whipped cream on top of cookie.
• 21 spoon strawberries over whipped cream.
• 22 top with another dollop of whipped cream.
• 23 cover with another cookie square, almond-side facing up.
• 24 place a berry half on top to garnish, if desired.