Ischler Törtchen

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •Rolling pin
• •4-5cm fluted round cutter
• •Two baking sheets with parchment
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Heatproof bowl for melting chocolate
• •Small offset spatula or piping bag

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the nut shortcrust

   Whisk together the flour, ground hazelnuts, icing sugar, Vanillezucker, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Work quickly. The butter must stay cold or the dough will turn greasy instead of sandy. Add the egg yolks and bring everything together into a smooth dough. Don't knead it. Press it together just until it holds, then flatten into a disc.

   Toast your hazelnuts in a dry pan for a few minutes before grinding. It deepens their flavor dramatically. Let them cool completely before you grind them or you'll end up with nut butter instead of nut flour.
2. 2

   Chill the dough

   Wrap the disc tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least one hour. This isn't a suggestion. The butter needs to firm up again so the dough holds its shape when you roll and cut it. If you skip this, the rounds will spread in the oven and lose their clean edges. Patience now saves frustration later.

3. 3

   Roll and cut the rounds

   Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about four millimeters thick. If it cracks at the edges, let it warm up for two minutes and try again. Cut rounds with a 4-5cm fluted cutter. You need an even number since every Törtchen is two halves. Gather and gently re-roll the scraps once. Place the rounds on the prepared sheets with a little space between them. They don't spread much, but they need air.

   If the dough softens too much while you're working, slide the whole sheet of rolled dough onto a tray and put it back in the fridge for ten minutes. This dough forgives cold better than it forgives warmth.
4. 4

   Bake the rounds

   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Watch them carefully. You want a pale golden color, not brown. These rounds are thin and the hazelnuts in the dough mean they go from done to overdone very quickly. They'll feel soft when you take them out. That's correct. They firm up as they cool. Let them rest on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Handle them gently. This is a fragile, sandy dough and it knows it.

5. 5

   Make the chocolate buttercream

   Beat the softened butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes with a hand mixer. Add the melted and cooled chocolate, cocoa powder, and rum. Beat until smooth and uniform. The filling should be spreadable but firm enough to hold its shape between two cookies. If it's too soft, refrigerate it for fifteen minutes. Taste it. It should be deeply chocolatey with a hint of rum warmth, not sweet enough to make your teeth ache.

6. 6

   Assemble the sandwiches

   Match your cooled rounds into pairs of similar size. Spread a thin layer of sieved apricot jam on the flat side of one round from each pair. The jam is the secret architecture of this cookie. Its tartness cuts through the chocolate and keeps the sweetness honest. Pipe or spread a generous layer of chocolate buttercream on top of the jam, then press the second round gently on top, flat side down. Don't squeeze. Let the filling find its edges naturally. Place the assembled Törtchen on a wire rack set over a tray and refrigerate for thirty minutes until the filling is firm.

7. 7

   Prepare the chocolate glaze

   Chop the dark chocolate finely and melt it with the butter in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Stir until smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and let it cool for five minutes. You want it fluid enough to coat the Törtchen in a thin, even layer, but not so hot that it melts the buttercream inside. Dip your fingertip in. It should feel warm, not hot.

8. 8

   Glaze the Törtchen

   Working one at a time, place a chilled Törtchen on a fork and hold it over the bowl of melted chocolate. Spoon the glaze over the top and sides, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Use as few strokes as possible. Every extra touch dulls the finish. Set each glazed Törtchen back on the wire rack. While the chocolate is still wet, place a single pistachio on the center of each one. Press it in just enough that it holds. Let the glaze set completely at room temperature, about thirty minutes. The finished surface should be smooth and glossy, dark chocolate catching the light.

   If the glaze starts to thicken while you're working, set the bowl back over warm water for thirty seconds. Don't overheat it. You just need it fluid enough to flow.

Chef Tips

• •Buy good dark chocolate. Not baking chips, not compound chocolate. A proper couverture with cocoa butter. The glaze is the first thing anyone sees and the first thing they taste. Cheap chocolate will look dull and taste waxy. Spend the money here.
• •Sieve the apricot jam. You want a smooth, thin layer, not chunks of fruit interfering with the architecture. Push it through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon. Austrian bakers call this durchpassieren and they do it every time.
• •These keep beautifully. Store them in a single layer in an airtight tin with parchment between layers. They'll last two weeks and actually improve after a day or two as the flavors settle and the textures meld together. Gretel always said Ischler Törtchen need a night to think about themselves.
• •If you can't find hazelnuts, use ground almonds. The original Zauner recipe is a closely guarded secret, and different Konditoreien across Austria use different nuts. Both are correct. The technique matters more than the nut.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
• •The baked rounds can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days before filling and glazing.
• •Fully assembled Ischler Törtchen keep for two weeks in a cool place in an airtight tin. They're ideal for making ahead during Christmas baking season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 55g)