My Kitchen Smells Like Christmas
Hello, dear. Come sit. My kitchen is full of the best smells. Toasted nuts, sweet raspberries, warm spices. It smells like a holiday hug. I am making a Linzertorte star. It is a fancy name for a nutty jam tart. My hands are a little dusty with flour. I don’t mind one bit.
This tart is special. It is not a last-minute treat. You make it with care. That is part of the gift. Giving your time matters. It makes the food taste better, I think. Do you have a recipe that makes you feel calm and happy?
A Little Story About Nuts
I use hazelnuts and almonds here. Long ago, I only had walnuts. I used those instead. My grandson said it tasted like a cookie from a storybook. I still laugh at that. The recipe is forgiving like that.
Fun fact: The Linzertorte is one of the oldest cake recipes ever written down. It is from Austria. Isn’t that wonderful? We are making history in our kitchens. That is my first “why this matters.” Food connects us to people from long, long ago.
The Heart of the Matter
The dough is the star. You grind the nuts with sugar. It makes a sandy, sweet meal. Then you add cold butter and a single egg. It all comes together. It will feel crumbly at first. Just press it. It will become one.
This teaches us patience. Some things need a gentle touch. You cannot rush them. That is my second “why this matters.” Good things take the time they need. Do you prefer making the dough or the filling? I love the dough part.
Building Your Edible Star
Now for the fun part. You press half the dough into the pan. This is your crust. The other half you roll and cut into strips. You will make a lattice top. A fancy word for a criss-cross pattern. It looks like a star when you are done.
Spread the raspberry jam inside. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Then lay your strips over the top. It is like a puzzle. If a strip breaks, just press it back. No one will know. What is your favorite jam to bake with? Mine will always be raspberry.
The Magic of Baking
Into the oven it goes. The smell will fill your whole house. It is the smell of waiting. You must let it cool completely. This is the hardest part. But a warm tart will be a messy tart. Trust your grandma on this.
When it is cool, you slice it. The crust is crisp. The jam is sweet and a little tart. The nuts make it taste rich. Every bite has a story. It is a taste of tradition and love. That is what we are really making here.
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unblanched hazelnuts, toasted and skinned | 1 cup (about 5 oz / 142g) | |
| Blanched almonds | ½ cup (about 2 oz / 57g) | |
| Granulated sugar | ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (4⅓ oz) | For the tart dough |
| Table salt | ½ tsp | |
| Lemon zest | 1 tsp | Grated from 1 lemon |
| Unbleached all-purpose flour | 1 ½ cups (7½ oz / 213g) | |
| Ground cinnamon | ½ tsp | |
| Ground allspice | ⅛ tsp | |
| Unsalted butter | 12 tbsp (1½ sticks) | Cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled |
| Large egg | 1 | |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp | |
| Raspberry preserves | 1 ¼ cups (13½ oz / 383g) | For the filling |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbsp | From 1 lemon |
| Heavy cream | 1 tbsp | For the glaze (optional) |
| Turbinado or demerara sugar | 1 ½ tsp | For the glaze (optional) |
Instructions
Step 1: First, whisk your egg and vanilla in a little bowl. Set it aside. Now, buzz the hazelnuts, sugar, almonds, and salt in the food processor. Let it run for a full minute. You want it very fine, like sand. Add the lemon zest and give it a few quick pulses. Doesn’t that smell amazing? (A hard-learned tip: measure your nuts after toasting and skinning them, not before.)
Step 2: Add the flour, cinnamon, and allspice to the processor. Pulse it just a few times to mix. Scatter your cold butter cubes over the top. Pulse until it looks like coarse crumbs. Now, with the machine running, pour in the egg mixture. Stop as soon as the dough clumps together. Over-mixing makes it tough.
Step 3: Dump the dough onto your counter. Gently press it all into a mound. Divide it into two equal halves. Shape each half into a flat, 5-inch disk. Wrap them tightly if you need to wait. I still laugh at the time I forgot to soften my chilled dough. It was like trying to roll out a stone! Do you think chilling the dough helps the flavor or just makes it easier to handle? Share below!
Step 4: Take one disk and break it into walnut-sized pieces. Press them into your tart pan. Cover it with plastic wrap. Use the bottom of a cup to smooth it all out. This part is very satisfying. Freeze the pan for 30 minutes. Roll the other disk into a 12-inch square between floured parchment sheets. Chill it, then cut it into strips. Freeze those strips, too.
Step 5: Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Press foil with weights into your frozen tart shell. Bake it until it’s golden and set, about 30 minutes. Let it cool completely. This patience is the secret. A warm shell will melt your filling. Now, stir the raspberry preserves with lemon juice. Spread it evenly in the cool shell.
Step 6: Time to make the star! Lay your frozen dough strips over the filling to form a lattice. Use the parchment to help you flip them. Fill in the edges with any dough scraps. The top should be just below the pan’s rim. I always think of my grandmother’s hands doing this part.
Step 7: Gently brush the lattice with cream. Sprinkle with sugar if you like. Bake until it’s a deep, glorious gold, about 45 minutes. Let it cool for two full hours. This wait is the hardest part. Then, carefully remove it from the pan. Slice and enjoy the crunch and jammy heart.
Creative Twists
This tart is a wonderful canvas. You can make it your own with a few simple swaps. Try a different jam for the center. Apricot gives a sunny, tart sweetness. Blackberry makes it deeply fruity. You can also change the nuts. Use all almonds for a milder flavor. Or try pecans for a cozy, toasty note. For a festive sparkle, sprinkle the lattice with sparkling sugar before baking. It twinkles like morning frost. Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving & Pairing Ideas
This tart is a celebration all by itself. For a special touch, add a dollop of barely-sweetened whipped cream. A few fresh raspberries on the side look so pretty. In our house, we love it with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The cold creaminess is perfect with the spicy crust. For drinks, a cup of hot spiced apple cider is my favorite non-alcoholic match. For the grown-ups, a small glass of ruby port wine is just right. It sips like a warm hug. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Holiday Star Shining
This tart is a star that keeps on shining. You can make it a day ahead. Just wrap it well and keep it in the fridge. The flavors get even better overnight. You can also freeze the baked, cooled tart for up to a month.
Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. I once sent a whole tart to my grandson this way. He said it tasted like a hug from my kitchen. Let it come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Why does this matter? Good planning takes the stress out of holiday baking. You get to enjoy the party too. Have you ever tried storing a dessert this way? Share below!
Common Hiccups and How to Fix Them
First, dough that is too crumbly. This means it is too dry. Simply sprinkle a teaspoon of cold water over it. Then knead it gently until it holds together.
Second, a soggy bottom crust. I remember when this happened to me. The secret is to freeze the shell before baking. This keeps the butter firm so the crust stays crisp.
Third, lattice strips that break. Do not worry. Just press the pieces together on the tart. No one will ever know. Fixing small issues builds your cooking confidence. It also makes your food taste better. Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Quick Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
A: Yes. Use a good gluten-free flour blend. The nuts help the texture.
Q: How far ahead can I make the dough?
A: You can make the dough disks two days ahead. Keep them wrapped in the fridge.
Q: I don’t have hazelnuts. What can I use?
A: Use all almonds. Or try walnuts. The flavor will be different but still lovely.
Q: Can I make a smaller tart?
A: Yes. Halve the dough and filling. Use a smaller tart pan. Baking time may be less.
Q: Is the sugar glaze necessary?
A: No, it is optional. But it gives a lovely sparkle and slight crunch. *Fun fact: Turbinado sugar is sometimes called “sugar in the raw.”* Which tip will you try first?
From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope you bake this beautiful tart. It is a labor of love. Share it with people who make your world bright. I love hearing your stories.
Tell me about your baking adventures in my kitchen. Have you tried this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you. Happy cooking!
—Elowen Thorn.
Linzertorte Holiday Star
Description
A classic holiday pastry featuring a rich, nutty crust and a lattice top filled with tangy raspberry preserves.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk egg and vanilla together in bowl. Process hazelnuts, sugar, almonds, and salt in food processor until very finely ground, 45 to 60 seconds. Add lemon zest and pulse to combine, about 5 pulses. Add flour, cinnamon, and allspice and pulse to combine, about 5 pulses. Scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses. With processor running, add egg mixture and continue to process until dough just comes together, about 12 seconds longer.
- Transfer dough to counter and form into cohesive mound. Divide dough in half and form each half into 5‐inch disk. (If not using immediately, wrap disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let chilled dough sit at room temperature until soft and malleable, about 1 hour, before using.)
- Tear 1 disk into walnut-size pieces, then pat pieces into 11‐inch tart pan with removable bottom, pressing dough into corners and ¾-inch up sides of pan. Cover dough with plastic and smooth out any bumps using bottom of measuring cup. Set pan on large plate and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Roll second disk into 12‐inch square between 2 large sheets of floured parchment paper. (If dough sticks to parchment, gently loosen and lift sticky area with bench scraper and dust parchment with additional flour.) Slide dough, still between parchment, onto rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top layer of parchment and trim edges of dough to form perfect square, then cut into ¾‐inch-wide strips, cutting through underlying parchment. Cover with parchment and freeze until dough is fully chilled and firm, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Set dough-lined tart pan on rimmed baking sheet. Spray 1 side of double layer of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray. Press foil, greased side down, into frozen tart shell, covering edges to prevent burning, and fill with pie weights. Bake until tart shell is golden brown and set, about 30 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Remove foil and weights, transfer sheet to wire rack, and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Stir raspberry preserves and lemon juice together in bowl. Spread filling evenly over bottom of tart shell. Pick up 1 strip of dough by parchment ends, then flip it over onto tart, positioning it near edge of pan. Remove parchment strip and trim ends of dough strip by pressing down on top edge of pan; reserve all dough scraps. Place 2 more strips parallel to first, spacing them evenly so that one is across center and other is near opposite edge of pan. Rotate pan 90 degrees, then place 3 more strips spacing as with first three. Rotate pan 90 degrees again, then place 2 strips across pan, spaced evenly between first three. Rotate pan again and complete lattice by placing last 2 strips between second set of three. Use small scraps of dough to fill in crust around edges between lattice strips. Top of crust should be just below top of pan.
- Gently brush lattice strips with cream and sprinkle with sugar, if using. Bake on sheet until crust is deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let tart cool completely on sheet on wire rack, about 2 hours. Remove outer ring of tart pan, slide thin metal spatula between tart and tart pan bottom, and carefully slide tart onto serving platter or cutting board. Serve or refrigerate overnight.
Notes
- For best results, ensure the tart shell is completely cool before adding the filling. The lattice dough must be very cold and firm to handle easily. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.