How to Make Venetian Rainbow Cookies

Who wouldn't love it? The class breaks into teams to make more than 30 types of cookies, from espresso cardamom sables to white chocolate cherry biscotti, then treats our staff to the sweets. It's like a holiday cookie swap every month of the year, and everyone has their favorites.

In May, Chef-Instructor Alex Orman's class made a vibrant spread covering two crave-inducing tables, and we asked you which recipe you want most in an Instagram story poll. The overwhelming winner is the picture-perfect rainbow cookies just in time for June. The key to perfecting these layered treats? Pâte à glace.

"Pâte à glace is basically 90% chocolate, 10% oil," says Pastry & Baking Arts Lead Chef Jeff Yoskowitz. "It's a chocolate coating that's a quick substitute for tempering. It firms up when it gets colder and doesn't melt in people's hands."

Here's the complete recipe, no tempering necessary.

Recipe

Venetian Rainbow Cookies

Yields one half-sheet pan

Ingredients

• 450 grams almond paste
• 455 grams sugar
• 565 grams butter, softened
• 160 grams egg yolks (approx. 8 eggs)
• 7 grams almond extract
• 500 grams all-purpose flour
• 3 grams salt
• 480 grams egg whites (approx. 16 eggs)
• 790 grams apricot preserves, heated and strained
• 450 grams pâte à glace
• Red food coloring gel, as needed
• Green food coloring gel, as needed

Directions

1. With the paddle attachment, beat almond paste, 340 grams sugar and butter until light, fluffy and no lumps remain.
2. Add yolks and extract and beat until combined.
3. Add flour and salt and beat until combined.
4. Divide mixture into thirds in three separate bowls. Color mixture red in first bowl. Color another green. Leave the mixture in the remaining bowl uncolored. Set bowls aside.
5. Separately, whip egg whites, gradually adding 115 grams sugar to achieve a soft peak. Divide the meringue equally into each bowl of almond paste mixture, and then fold to combine. Spread each bowl of batter onto its own parchment-lined half-sheet pan that has been slightly sprayed with pan spray. Make sure to use the flattest trays and to spread the batter as evenly as possible.
6. Bake at 350 F until just set in the center. Do not over bake.
7. Chill layers before spreading apricot preserves in between. If possible, weigh down assembled layers and chill before covering with pâte à glace. Cut as instructed.

Bake dozens more cookies to perfection in ICE's Pastry & Baking Arts program.