Italian Flag Cookies

My favorite childhood bakery has and will always be Savoia's.  They have hundreds of fresh Italian cookies, cakes, pastries, breads and much more.  One of my favorite cookies they make is called the Neapolitan Cookie.  I have always called it the Italian Flag cookie, because it is the colors of the Italian flag (Red, White, and Green).  This cookie also goes by other names such as "tre colore," meaning three color and the "Seven Layer cookie," because of its seven layers.  For years I have been wanting to try and make this cookie and never really came across the recipe until now.  I recently found a video on how to make them on youtube.  I love watching recipes on youtube, because seeing a visual is always helpful!  I discovered that this is a very complicated cookie to make.  Mine came out really good, but I think I may just stick to buying them at Savoia's from now on, only because it took all day to make!
Recipe Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3bhlnDJTyE
Please Click Here for Printable Version:

Ingredients:

* 8 Ounces of Almond Paste
* 1 1/2 Cups of Unsalted Butter at room temperature
* 4 Large Eggs
* 1 tsp. of Almond Extract
* 2 Cups of All Purpose Flour (I always use Gold Metal or King Arthur)
* 1/4 tsp. of Salt
* 1 Cup of Sugar
* 8 oz. of Apricot Preserves
* 8 oz. of Raspberry Preserves
* Green Food Coloring
* Red Food Coloring
* 12 Oz of Semi Sweet Melting Chocolate (I Mixed Dark and Milk)

Helpful Tools:

* Kitchen Aid Mixer
* 3- 9X9 inch pans (I used 3- 9X13 inch pans and I felt they came out too thin.  I would recommend 3-9X9 inch Pans instead).
* Wax Paper
* A Strainer

Procedure:

* Pre-Heat oven to 350 Degrees
* Get 2 small bowls and separate the Egg White from the Egg Yolks

* Put the Egg Yolks aside and the Egg Whites into the Kitchen Aid Mixer with the Whipping Attachment.
* Start on Med Low speed for 2 minutes and then on high speed for about another 5 minutes, until the Egg White form Large Peaks.
* Once the Egg Whites have formed the large peaks, add 1/4 cup of the sugar and mix for about another minute.
* Set aside.

 * Grab another Large Mixing Bowl and add the Paddle attachment to the Kitchen Aid Mixer
*  Add the Almond Paste and remaining 3/4 cup of sugar into the Bowl and mix until it is in Crumbs

* Add the Stick of Softened Butter and Almond Extract and Mix again.

* While the Mixer is running on Medium Speed, add the Egg Yolks one Egg at a time

* Turn the Mixer off and with a Spatula fold in the Egg Whites that you set aside earlier. 

* Fold in the Flour, one cup at a time until well blended.

* Grab three Bowls (the size of a cereal bowl) and divide the batter into three equal parts (I think it was about 1 1/4 cups of batter in each bowl)

* Put 20 Drops of Green Food Coloring into the first bowl and mix well
* Leave the second bowl of batter as is
* Put 20 drops of Red Food Coloring into the third bowl and mix well (do not use the same spoon you used with the Green)

* Line the bottom and sides of the three Pans with Wax Paper

* With a Spoon, spread the Green Cake  Batter into the first pan, the plain color cake batter into the second pan, and the Red Color Batter into the third pan.

* Bake for about 10-12 Minutes
*When Done, let cool
* While the cakes are cooling, get the jams ready.
* In a small sauce pan, heat the Raspberry Preserves
* Strain the Preserves over a bowl by pressing it around with a spoon in a strainer. Set aside.

* Heat the Apricot Preserved in a small sauce pan and Strain the Preserves over a bowl by pressing it around with a spoon in a strainer. Set aside.

* Now we are ready to assemble the cookie!
* Carefully Flip the Red Layer Cake over onto a Wax Paper covered tray.
* Slowly take the wax paper off of the top of the cake
* Spread the Raspberry Preserved all over the top of the Red layer cake

* Carefully add the Plain color cake to the top of the Red Jam Layer, and carefully rip the Wax paper off the top.
* Spread the Apricot Preserves on the top of the Plain color cake.

*Add the Green Color Cake to the top of the Apricot Preserve layer and carefully rip the wax paper off the top.

*Put a new sheet of wax paper on the top and then cover it with a heavy object (I put a wooden cutting board on top) and put it in the fridge for about 4-8 hours. (Sorry no picture of this step :( )
* When the cake is done settling in the fridge, melt the chocolate.
* Spread the chocolate all over the top of the cake and then put it back in the fridge to harden for about 15-20 minutes.

* Once that layer of chocolate has hardened, carefully flip the cake over and Spread melted Chocolate over the other side of the cake.  Put back into the refrigerator to harden. 

* When it is done hardening, place onto a cutting board trim all the sides of the cake (you can just munch on those scraps :))

* Cut the remaining cake into small squares or rectangles and Enjoy!