Rainbow cookies, also known as seven-layer cookies or Napoleon cookies, are a delightful and visually stunning treat. These colorful, almond-flavored delights are often associated with Italian bakeries and holidays, but you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen. While they require a bit of patience and attention to detail, the result is well worth the effort. This comprehensive guide will walk you through each step, ensuring you achieve rainbow cookie perfection.
**What Makes Rainbow Cookies Special?**
Rainbow cookies are more than just pretty colors. Their unique texture, a delicate balance of moist almond cake and smooth chocolate, sets them apart. The three layers of almond-flavored sponge cake, dyed red, green, and yellow (or other colors of your choice), are sandwiched together with apricot or raspberry jam and then coated in dark chocolate. This combination of flavors and textures creates a truly unforgettable experience.
**Understanding the Key Ingredients**
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s break down the key ingredients and their roles:
* **Almond Paste:** This is the foundation of the rainbow cookie. It provides the distinctive almond flavor and contributes to the cake’s moist and chewy texture. Use a high-quality almond paste for the best results. Some recipes use almond flour, but the texture will be different.
* **Eggs:** Eggs bind the ingredients together and add richness and moisture. Separate the eggs and beat the whites separately to create a light and airy cake.
* **Sugar:** Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and helps to create a tender crumb.
* **Butter:** Unsalted butter adds richness and flavor. Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature for easy creaming.
* **Flour:** All-purpose flour provides structure to the cake. Use a light hand when measuring the flour to avoid a dry cake.
* **Baking Powder:** Baking powder helps the cake to rise and become light and airy.
* **Salt:** A pinch of salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
* **Almond Extract:** Almond extract amplifies the almond flavor. Use pure almond extract for the best results.
* **Food Coloring:** Gel food coloring is recommended for vibrant and consistent colors. Avoid liquid food coloring, as it can thin out the batter.
* **Apricot or Raspberry Jam:** This adds a layer of sweetness and moisture between the cake layers. Apricot jam is the traditional choice, but raspberry jam is also delicious.
* **Dark Chocolate:** Dark chocolate provides a rich and bittersweet contrast to the sweet cake and jam. Use a good-quality chocolate with a high cocoa content.
* **Vegetable Oil:** Vegetable oil keeps the cake moist and tender.
**The Ultimate Rainbow Cookie Recipe**
Here’s a detailed recipe to guide you through the process of making perfect rainbow cookies:
**Yields:** Approximately 36 cookies
**Prep time:** 1 hour
**Cook time:** 12-15 minutes per layer
**Chill time:** At least 8 hours, preferably overnight
**Ingredients:**
* **For the Cake Layers:**
* 8 ounces (227g) almond paste, finely ground
* 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
* 4 large eggs, separated
* 1 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* Red gel food coloring
* Green gel food coloring
* Yellow gel food coloring
* **For the Filling and Coating:**
* 1 cup apricot or raspberry jam, warmed and strained
* 12 ounces (340g) dark chocolate, chopped
* 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (optional, for shinier chocolate)
**Equipment:**
* Stand mixer or hand mixer
* 3 bowls
* Rubber spatula
* Measuring cups and spoons
* 9×13 inch baking pan
* Parchment paper
* Small saucepan or double boiler
* Offset spatula or knife
**Instructions:**
**Step 1: Prepare the Almond Paste**
1. **Grind the Almond Paste:** This is a crucial step. If your almond paste is not finely ground, the cookies will have a lumpy texture. You can use a food processor or a grater to grind the almond paste until it is very fine. Make sure not to over process in a food processor.
**Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar**
1. **Cream Butter and Sugar:** In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Properly creaming the butter and sugar incorporates air into the mixture, which is essential for a light and airy cake.
**Step 3: Add Almond Paste and Egg Yolks**
1. **Add Almond Paste:** Gradually add the ground almond paste to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing until well combined. Be patient and mix on low speed to prevent the almond paste from clumping.
2. **Add Egg Yolks:** Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.
3. **Add Almond Extract:** Stir in the almond extract.
**Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients**
1. **Whisk Dry Ingredients:** In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures that the baking powder is evenly distributed throughout the flour.
**Step 5: Add Dry Ingredients and Oil to Wet Ingredients**
1. **Alternate Additions:** Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the vegetable oil. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour and result in a tough cake.
**Step 6: Beat Egg Whites**
1. **Beat Egg Whites:** In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat the egg whites, as this can make them dry and crumbly. The stiff peaks should be firm enough to hold their shape but not so stiff that they look dry.
**Step 7: Fold Egg Whites into Batter**
1. **Fold Gently:** Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter in three additions. Use a rubber spatula and be careful not to deflate the egg whites. Folding is a technique used to incorporate light and airy ingredients into a heavier mixture without losing volume.
**Step 8: Divide and Color the Batter**
1. **Divide the Batter:** Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
2. **Color the Batter:** Add red gel food coloring to one bowl, green gel food coloring to another bowl, and yellow gel food coloring to the third bowl. Mix each bowl until the color is evenly distributed. Add more food coloring as needed to achieve the desired shade.
**Step 9: Bake the Cake Layers**
1. **Prepare the Baking Pan:** Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal. This prevents the cake layers from sticking to the pan.
2. **Spread the Batter:** Spread each colored batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the batter into a thin, even layer. It is important to get even layers. If you are really concerned about getting even layers, measure out the same amount of each batter into the pan, using a measuring cup.
3. **Bake:** Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake layers should be lightly golden brown around the edges.
4. **Cool:** Let the cake layers cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper gently.
**Step 10: Assemble the Rainbow Cookies**
1. **Trim the Edges:** Once the cake layers are completely cool, trim the edges of each layer to create straight, even edges. This will give your rainbow cookies a neat and professional look. Some people skip this step, but the cookies have a better finished look if the edges are trimmed.
2. **Warm the Jam:** Warm the apricot or raspberry jam in a small saucepan or in the microwave until it is slightly thinned. Strain the jam to remove any seeds or lumps. This will make it easier to spread.
3. **Spread Jam:** Spread a thin, even layer of jam over the top of one cake layer (e.g., the red layer). Place another cake layer (e.g., the yellow layer) on top of the jam. Spread another thin, even layer of jam over the yellow layer. Place the final cake layer (e.g., the green layer) on top. To get nice clean separation of the layers, let each jam layer set in the fridge for 15 minutes before stacking another layer on top of it. This helps to reduce spreading of the jam.
4. **Press Gently:** Gently press down on the top layer to ensure that the layers are evenly stacked and that the jam is evenly distributed.
5. **Chill:** Wrap the assembled cake tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the jam to set and the flavors to meld together. This step is crucial for easy slicing.
**Step 11: Coat with Chocolate**
1. **Melt the Chocolate:** In a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a simmering pot of water, melt the dark chocolate and vegetable shortening (if using), stirring occasionally until smooth. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate, as this can cause it to seize. If using a microwave, melt the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
2. **Cut the Cookies:** Remove the chilled cake from the refrigerator and cut it into even slices. The size of the slices is up to you, but traditionally they are about 1 inch wide. Use a sharp knife to cut the cookies cleanly. Wipe the knife clean between each cut to prevent the chocolate from smearing.
3. **Dip in Chocolate:** Dip each cookie into the melted chocolate, coating all sides. You can use a fork or dipping tools to help you coat the cookies evenly. Alternatively, place the cookies on a wire rack and pour the melted chocolate over them.
4. **Remove Excess Chocolate:** Gently tap the cookies to remove any excess chocolate. This will prevent the chocolate from pooling and creating a messy finish.
5. **Set the Chocolate:** Place the chocolate-coated cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you refrigerate them, the chocolate will set more quickly.
**Tips for Success**
* **Use High-Quality Almond Paste:** The quality of the almond paste will directly impact the flavor and texture of your rainbow cookies. Opt for a high-quality almond paste with a good almond flavor.
* **Grind the Almond Paste Finely:** Finely ground almond paste is essential for a smooth and even batter. If your almond paste is lumpy, the cookies will have a grainy texture.
* **Don’t Overmix the Batter:** Overmixing the batter can develop the gluten in the flour and result in a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
* **Use Gel Food Coloring:** Gel food coloring provides vibrant and consistent colors without thinning out the batter.
* **Spread the Batter Evenly:** Evenly spread the batter in the baking pan to ensure that the cake layers are of uniform thickness. The thinner the layers, the better.
* **Chill the Assembled Cake:** Chilling the assembled cake is crucial for easy slicing and helps the flavors to meld together.
* **Use a Sharp Knife:** Use a sharp knife to cut the cookies cleanly and prevent the chocolate from smearing.
* **Melt the Chocolate Properly:** Avoid overheating the chocolate, as this can cause it to seize. Melt the chocolate slowly and gently.
**Variations**
* **Different Colors:** Experiment with different colors of food coloring to create your own unique rainbow cookie combinations. You could use pastel colors, neon colors, or even seasonal colors like red and green for Christmas.
* **Different Jams:** Try using different flavors of jam, such as strawberry, blackberry, or orange marmalade. You can also mix and match different jams between the layers.
* **Different Chocolate:** Use milk chocolate or white chocolate instead of dark chocolate. You can also add chopped nuts or sprinkles to the chocolate coating.
* **Add Spices:** Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to the batter for a warm and spicy flavor.
* **Gluten-Free:** Use gluten-free flour to make gluten-free rainbow cookies. Be sure to use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is designed for baking.
**Storage**
Rainbow cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
**Troubleshooting**
* **Cookies are Dry:** This could be due to overbaking, using too much flour, or not using enough fat. Make sure to measure the ingredients accurately and bake the cookies until they are just set.
* **Cookies are Too Dense:** This could be due to overmixing the batter or not beating the egg whites properly. Be careful not to overmix and ensure that the egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks.
* **Chocolate is Seizing:** This could be due to overheating the chocolate or getting water in the chocolate. Melt the chocolate slowly and gently and make sure that the bowl and utensils are completely dry.
* **Layers are Uneven:** Use a kitchen scale to divide the batter evenly and spread the batter evenly in the baking pan.
**Serving Suggestions**
Rainbow cookies are perfect for serving at parties, holidays, or as a special treat. They can be served on their own or alongside other desserts, such as cannoli, biscotti, or tiramisu. They also make a great gift for friends and family.
**Final Thoughts**
Rainbow cookies may seem daunting at first, but with a little patience and attention to detail, you can easily create these colorful and delicious treats in your own kitchen. Follow this step-by-step guide, and you’ll be enjoying homemade rainbow cookies in no time. Enjoy!