These look SO pretty on a cookie tray. I don't make them often because almond paste is expensive, but do find special occasions to make them. The recipe looks complicated but it really isn't.
RAINBOW VENETIANS
1 (8 oz.) can almond paste
1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 c. sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. pure almond extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
10 drops green food coloring
8 drops red food coloring
1 (12 oz.) jar apricot preserves
5 oz. semisweet chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease three 9x13" pans; line with wac paper and grease paper.
Break up almond paste in a large bowl. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in flour and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into almond mixture.
Spread 1 1/2 c. batter into one of the prepared pans.*
Remove 1 1/2 c. batter to a small bowl, mix in the green food coloring, then spread that batter in another prepared pan.
To the remaining 1 1/2 c. batter, add the red food coloring, then spread it in the remaining prepared pan.
Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lughtly golden. (Cakes will only be about 1/4" thick). Immediately remove cakes from pans onto wire racks and cool completely. (I slide the cakes out of the pan with the excess wax paper that's hanging over the edge-don't try to flip the cake out.....TRUST ME...it WILL BREAK!!!!).
Line a jelly roll pan with wax paper.
Heat the apricot preserves in a small saucepan; strain.
Place the green layer on the jelly roll pan. Spread half of the warm preserves on this layer all the way to the edges.
Add the yellow layer on top; spread with remaining preserves.
Place the pink layer, top-side up, on the yellow layer.
Cover with plastic wrap. Weigh down with a large cutting board or heavy flat tray. Refrigerate overnight.
Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water.
Trim cake edges even. Cut cake crosswise into 1" wide strips. Frost tops with chocolate; lay each strip on its side and frost the bottom. Allow chocolate to dry.** Cut into 2" pieces.
*I divide the batter between 3 small bowls-when I measure the 1 1/2 c., I always have some batter left over so I divide it evenly between the 3 bowls, that way I can hope that the 3 layers are about the same thickness!!!!
**A friend of mine gave me a great hint that I'm going to use next time when applying the chocolate to these.....she spreads the chocolate on the whole top of the cookie, lets it harden, flips the cookie over and frosts the other side, then lets the chocolate harden again. When she slices them, she dips the knife in water and wipes it clean between each slice. That's a great idea-have to tell you-applying chocolate to each individual strip is quite messy-at least for me! I'll be using her trick the next time I make these for sure!!!!!!!!!!