Vinny is a family-taught home cook who focuses on cooking meals that the whole family can enjoy. He is driven by his love for spending time in the kitchen where he grew up spending time with his parents and siblings. He started shooting food photography and videography as a way to capture the importance of sharing a home-cooked meal with your family. He works as a photographer and digital media specialist full-time. On the side you can find his work on Instagram @vindelgiudice or his blog, Always From Scratch. His recipes consist of Italian-inspired family meals like lentil soup and chicken francese!
a little bit about the recipe
Classic Italian Rainbow cookies with raspberry and apricot preserves, made without the dye. These traditional cookies retain all the flavor, replacing the food dye with natural ingredients like beetroot powder and matcha powder!
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Stand mixer, 13x9 baking pans, parchment paper
ACTIVE: 1h
INACTIVE: 1d
TOTAL: 1d 1h
PRINT RECIPE
directions
Make the Layers
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter three 9 × 13-inch baking pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then butter the parchment and sides.
Break the almond paste into pieces and pulse in a food processor for 10–15 seconds, until finely chopped.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low until smooth. Add the almond paste and beat on medium for about 2 minutes, until lighter in color. Gradually add the sugar and beat for another minute. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Divide the mixture evenly among three bowls.
Whisk together the flour and salt, then divide evenly among three separate bowls. Stir the beetroot powder into one portion and the matcha powder into another. Leave the third plain.
Return one portion of the butter mixture to the mixer. Add the plain flour mixture and mix on low just until combined. Transfer back to its bowl. Repeat with the green mixture, then the red, scraping the mixer bowl and paddle between colors.
In a clean mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Divide the whites evenly among the three batters. Gently fold into each batter.
Spread each batter into a prepared pan. The batter will be stiff; use a spatula to spread it evenly into the corners.
Bake for 12-13 minutes, until the tops are firm to the touch but not browned. Let the layers cool in their pans, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks.
Assemble the layers
Place the green layer, top side down, on a large sheet of plastic wrap set on a baking sheet. Spread evenly with 3 tablespoons raspberry preserves. Add the plain layer, top side down, and spread with 3 tablespoons apricot preserves. Place the red layer on top, top side up. Align the edges and press gently.
Wrap the stack tightly in plastic wrap. Place another baking sheet on top and weigh it down with two or three heavy cookbooks. Rest at room temperature overnight.
Add the chocolate
Unwrap the stack. Melt half the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, keeping the bowl above the water. Stir occasionally and remove from the heat when nearly melted. Continue stirring until smooth.
Spread the chocolate evenly over the top. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes, until set.
Carefully flip the giant cookie so the uncoated side faces up. Melt the remaining chocolate and spread it evenly over this side. Refrigerate until set, about 15–20 minutes.
Trim the edges so they’re even, then cut into small rectangular cookies.
expiry
Up to 1 week refrigerated
tips
If the chocolate cracks when slicing, warm the knife with hot water and wipe dry.
When baking the layers, undercooked is better than overcooked. Check to make sure the layers aren’t browning.
