Linzer Blitz Torte

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole almonds or hazelnuts, or a combination
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks and slightly softened
• 1 large egg yolk
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• Grated zest of 1/2 orange
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 2/3 cup raspberry or blackberry preserves
• Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Directions

1. In a food processor, add the nuts with the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves, then pulse until the nuts are ground fine. Drop in the butter, egg yolk, lemon zest, orange zest, and almond extract, and run the machine only until the dough comes together.
2. Scoop out 1/4 cup (2.25 ounces) of the dough and form it into either a ball or, if you plan to slice it later, a cube. Wrap that piece and put it in the refrigerator.
3. While that chills, butter the sides of the cake pan and fit a round of parchment into the bottom. Pat the rest of the dough into an even layer across the base of the pan. Cover the pan and chill it for at least 1 hour.
4. Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, then heat the oven to 350˚F.
5. Spoon the preserves over the chilled dough and spread them evenly, stopping just shy of a 1/2-inch edge all the way around. Take the cold reserved dough and shred it over the preserves on the large holes of a box or flat grater, or slice it into matchsticks and scatter those over the top.
6. Bake the torte for 30 to 35 minutes, until the surface is golden brown. Drape foil loosely over the pan and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until the color deepens to a rich golden brown. If it rises up as it bakes, give the pan a firm tap against the oven rack to calm it back down. Set the pan on a rack and let the torte cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife or small metal spatula around the edge to loosen it, then leave it until completely cool.
7. Turn the torte out onto a plate. Lift off the cake pan and peel away the parchment, then flip the torte back so the top faces up. Covered, it will keep at room temperature for a good week, or you can wrap it airtight and freeze it for up to 3 months; let it come to room temperature before you serve it.
8. Dust with powdered sugar, if you like.