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Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 102 reviews

Classic Italian Rainbow Cookies are a vibrant and delicious layered almond-flavored treat featuring colorful sponge cakes layered with apricot and raspberry preserves, then coated in tempered semisweet chocolate. These festive cookies are perfect for holidays or special occasions, combining a tender yet firm texture with the perfect balance of fruit and chocolate.

Ingredients

Scale

Pan Preparation

  • Cooking spray
  • Parchment paper (for lining)

Cookie Batter

  • 7 oz. almond paste, broken into pieces
  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • Red food coloring
  • Green food coloring

Assembly & Coating

  • 1/3 cup apricot preserves, warmed
  • 1/3 cup raspberry preserves, warmed
  • 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease three 9”x13” pans with cooking spray and line each with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side for easy cake removal.
  2. Make batter base: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the almond paste and ¾ cup sugar until the almond paste breaks down into smaller crumbly pieces. Add softened butter and beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Then mix in egg yolks and almond extract until well incorporated. Add flour and salt, mixing only until combined to avoid overmixing.
  3. Prepare egg whites: In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
  4. Fold in egg whites: Gently fold about one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining egg whites carefully until the batter is homogeneous, preserving as much air as possible.
  5. Divide and color batter: Evenly divide the batter into three bowls. Dye one batch red and another green, leaving the last one plain (white). Spread each colored batter evenly into the prepared pans using an offset spatula.
  6. Bake cake layers: Bake the pans for about 12 minutes until the cakes are no longer shiny and are slightly soft to the touch, with edges beginning to pull away from the pan. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then use the parchment overhangs to lift the layers onto racks to cool completely.
  7. Layer and assemble: Place parchment over the green layer and invert it onto a work surface. Peel off the top parchment. Spread warmed apricot preserves evenly over this green layer. Invert the white layer, peel its parchment, and gently slide it over the apricot layer. Spread warmed raspberry preserves over the white layer. Finally, invert the red layer and peel off the parchment, sliding it carefully on top to form the three-layer cake. Cover with parchment and a baking pan, then weigh down with cans. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to set.
  8. Temper chocolate: Remove the layered cake from the fridge while tempering the chocolate. Place ¾ cup chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth and the temperature reaches 113°–118°F. Then stir in the remaining ½ cup chips gradually until fully melted, continuing to stir until the chocolate cools to 88°–89°F.
  9. Coat first side: Pour half of the tempered chocolate over the red layer and use an offset spatula to spread evenly before the chocolate sets. Refrigerate the cake until the chocolate hardens, approximately 30 minutes.
  10. Coat second side: If the chocolate hardens too quickly, briefly microwave in 10-second bursts to smooth and reheat to 89°F. Once set on the first side, invert the cake onto another surface and spread the remaining chocolate over the green layer. Refrigerate until the chocolate is fully set, about 30 minutes.
  11. Trim and slice: Use a large knife to trim the edges for clean sides, then cut the cake into 28 equal pieces. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Use an offset spatula for even spreading of batter and chocolate coatings for best results.
  • Tempering chocolate is key for a glossy, snappy coating; do not skip this step.
  • Refrigerate the layered cake weighted down for best adhesion and texture.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container refrigerated; they can also be frozen for longer storage.
  • Warming preserves makes spreading easier and more even.

Keywords: Italian Rainbow Cookies, Almond Cookies, Layered Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Festive Cookies, Almond Paste, Chocolate Coated Cookies

Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/italian-rainbow-cookies-recipe/