Richard Stoltzman's Linzer Torte

As clarinet soloist with more than a hundred orchestras—and as recitalist, chamber musician and innovative jazz artist—Richard Stoltzman has earned an international reputation.

Like many musicians who are constantly on the road, Mr. Stoltzman enjoys sampling the local cuisine, but when he's home he loves to do the cooking himself, especially baking. Early in his career, he took some classes at London's Cordon Bleu school. The actual process of baking pleased him so much that he continued his training during summers at Marlboro.

Mr. Stoltzman first made a linzer torte in 1974, when Rudolf Serkin asked him to bring along a dessert following a Mozart concert in Vermont. Recently he presented his linzer tortes again for a pre-concert supper at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour

• 2 tablespoons cocoa

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 pound salted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 cups ground almonds

• 1 cup raspberry preserves

• 1 egg white

• 1 tablespoon water

• Confectioner's sugar

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and cloves together in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and beat in 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat in the egg yolks. Gradually blend in the almonds and the flour mixture to make a thick batter.

2. Using about half the batter, spread an even layer, 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick, in the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch round baking pan with a removable bottom. Spread the jam over the batter to within 1/2 inch of the edge, taking care not to break the layer of batter.

3. Spoon the remaining batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large tube, 1/2 inch in diameter. Pipe 3 to 5 parallel lines of batter straight across the layer of jam from one edge to the other. Give the pan a quarter turn and pipe 3 to 5 more parallel lines across the pastry from edge to edge. Pipe the remaining batter around the edge. (Any excess batter can be used to form round cookies on a baking sheet. Fill the cookies with jam and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden.)

4. Refrigerate torte for 1 hour.

5. Preheat oven to 300° F.

6. Beat the egg white with the remaining sugar and the water until frothy. Brush this mixture over the pastry strips and the edge. Place the linzer torte in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely.

7. Before serving, sift confectioner's sugar over the top. Remove the sides of the pan and serve.