St John's Alms Recipe

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Beat the butter and granulated and vanilla sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy. Add the egg, beating until just blended. Mix in the dry ingredients.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide the dough into four portions. Press the dough into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. On the floured surface, roll out one portion of the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Use a 2-inch fluted round cutter to cut out about twelve cookies. Use a small cutter to stamp out circles in the centers. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out the cookies until all the dough is used.

Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, placing them 1 inch apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking to ensure even browning. Transfer the cookies on the parchment paper to racks to cool.

Liqht qlaze: Mix the confectioners' sugar with Marsala and water until smooth and thick. Spread the glaze over each cookie. Set aside and let stand for 30 minutes until set. Spread a thin layer of jelly over and top with a glazed ring.

Dark qlaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa into a small bowl. Add the rum and mix into a smooth paste. Spoon the glaze into a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe dark arches onto the glazing and let set completely.