Linzertorte Fingers

All the flavors of a classic Austrian Linzertorte in a sliceable bar format. A rich, buttery pastry made with finely ground almonds, allspice, and lemon zest encases a thick layer of raspberry jam, and the top crust gets an egg wash glaze with sliced almonds that toast golden in the oven.

Grinding the almonds with their skins on (unblanched) is traditional and intentional. The skins add a slightly bitter, earthy depth to the pastry that blanched almonds can’t deliver. It’s what gives Linzer pastry its distinctive, complex nutty flavor.

The dough is tender and rich from all the butter and egg yolks. Chilling it for 30 minutes before rolling firms up the fat and makes it manageable. Warm Linzer dough sticks to everything and tears easily.

Pro Tips

• Roll the dough on a well-floured surface. It’s soft and sticky even when chilled. Work quickly before it warms up.
• Use a quality raspberry jam with seeds. Seedless jam works but the texture feels less authentic.
• Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting. The jam needs to set fully or it oozes out of every slice.

Variations

• Swap raspberry jam for apricot preserves for a more traditional Austrian variation.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon alongside the allspice for a warmer spice profile.
• Dust the cooled bars with powdered sugar for a snowy, bakery-style finish.