Linzertorte is really a big jam-topped cookie, and, for the amount of work—it’s pretty simple—is one of the most impressive desserts around. You can make individual cookies if you prefer. Red currant or raspberry jam is traditional, but you can use any jam you like as long as it is of high quality. If it is not already seedless, strain it to remove the seeds.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 8 servings

　　1 cup walnuts or blanched almonds

　　1 1/2 cups flour

　　Pinch of salt

　　1/2 cup granulated sugar

　　1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　Zest of 1 lemon

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into chunks

　　2 egg yolks

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more as needed

　　1 to 1 1/2 cups any jam, strained if seeded

　　Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toast the nuts in a medium skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently until they brown slightly and become aromatic, 2 or 3 minutes.

　　

Step 2

When the nuts are cool, grind them to a powder in a food processor. Add the flour, salt, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest and pulse to blend and mince the zest. Add the butter and process just until the mixture is crumbly, about 10 seconds.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the egg yolks. Add the lemon juice. If 1 tablespoon does not allow you to gather the mixture into a ball, add a little more. Wrap the ball in plastic or wax paper, flatten into a small disk, and freeze the dough for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Roll out about two thirds of the dough, keeping the remainder wrapped in plastic. Place the dough in an 8- or 9-inch tart pan. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Bake for 12 minutes, or just until it begins to darken. Cool for a few minutes; meanwhile, roll out the remaining dough and cut it into strips.

　　

Step 5

Spread the jam on the crust, then top with the lattice strips. Bake for another 30 minutes or so, until the crust is brown. Remove and cool. Sprinkle with a little confectioners’ sugar before serving at room temperature.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.