Ischler Hearts

Ischler hearts come straight from the k.u.k. coffeehouse tradition of Austria, named after the Habsburg spa town of Bad Ischl where Emperor Franz Joseph summered. They’re cousins to the Linzer cookie, but with a heart shape, a chocolate glaze instead of a powdered sugar dusting, and a more delicate ground-almond dough.

The dough is richer than you’d expect. Three ounces of cream cheese added to the butter gives a tender bite without turning fragile, and rolling it out on a sugared surface (not flour) keeps the cookies crisp instead of floury.

Ground blanched almonds go into the dough, not chopped. This matters because ground almonds act like flour, giving structure and a fine crumb, while chopped nuts create pockets that crumble under the jam.

The chocolate-cream-rum glaze is what seals the deal. It stays glossy if you don’t stir it aggressively, and it firms just enough overnight to be sturdy for gift tins without going brittle.

Pro Tips

• Chill the dough a full hour before rolling; warm dough sticks badly.
• Roll thin, no more than ⅛ inch, or the sandwiches get hefty.
• Warm the apricot jam and push it through a sieve for a smoother filling.
• Dip bottoms of the sandwich in chocolate for extra decadence.

Variations

• Swap apricot for raspberry jam for classic Linzer-style flavor.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough for warmer spice.
• Finish with candied orange peel or a single toasted almond on top of each cookie.