These cookies were originally published in Sphere Magazine in 1977. My Dad was always the one to bake them; he liked challenging recipes. When he cooked, every conceivable utensil in the kitchen was used, and washing up was a bear.
Its all about the tools: My Mother in Law gave me the maple pastry roller, and the OXO spatula – wow, do they ever make things easier.
Each Little World printed up a good tutorial on this recipe, although when we bake them, we use the original 2 Tablespoons cocoa, and 1/4 teaspoon of all the spices.
Dad wanted these cookies to be savored and to last – they have to sit 3 days in the tin before you eat them so the jam softens the cookies, and stiffens to hold them together without sliding. He hated to see all that work get wolfed without appreciation, so he made some copper cookie cutters so he could make small delicate cookies.
M assembled these for me last night, my back was getting tired of the table height.
He gets to eat the broken ones.