Every home baker knows the agony of choosing the right recipe. You scour your cookbook collection, search the archives of your favorite blogs, and ponder back and forth until you’re thoroughly exhausted. I often wish for one trustworthy source where I can find simple, sophisticated desserts for every occasion. I found just the thing I was looking for last weekend at Omnivore Books in San Francisco.
Hundreds of books about food and drink line the shelves of Omnivore Books in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood. I could spend an entire day in there, drooling over photos, fantasizing about restaurants and bakeries I want to visit, mentally marking all the recipes I want to make. There are vintage cookbooks with torn spines and retro covers, cookbooks in foreign languages, and cookbooks signed by chefs and bloggers.
I went to Omnivore without a particular book in mind, but knew I wanted to purchase one as a souvenir. I asked an employee for a recommendation and she suggested Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich. Medrich, author of the highly acclaimed Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy, filled this book with quick, effortlessly elegant recipes. After flipping through the first few pages, I knew this was the perfect book for me: a girl who loves to bake refined desserts but doesn’t have time to spend hours poring over the kitchen counter.
Every item in this book appealed to me, but I chose two cold-weather options to bring to my family’s Thanksgiving celebration. One of them was this Linzer Blitz Torte made with a buttery, almond crust, layered with raspberry preserves, and spiced with fragrant ground cloves and cinnamon. This torte was easy to put together, delicious, and beautiful- one of the best baked goods I have ever made. You could replace the raspberry preserves with apricot, lemon, or fig jam; the dough would complement whichever fruit you prefer. I received rave reviews from everyone who tried it, and am thrilled that my pursuit for a go-to recipe source is over. If you are a Northern California native or in SF for a few days, definitely stop by at Omnivore Books. It is a quaint, charming shop chock full of wonderful foodie finds.
Recipe courtesy of Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts
Ingredients
3/4 cup whole raw almonds or hazelnuts, or a combination
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
11 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks and slightly softened
1 large egg yolk
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Grated zest of 1/2 orange
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
2/3 cup raspberry or blackberry preserves
1. Combine the almonds, flour, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in the food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground. Add the butter, egg yolk, grated lemon and orange zests, and almond extract and process until the dough comes together. Scrape the butter from the bottom of the processor to help distribute evenly.
2. Measure 1/4 cup of the dough and shape it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Grease the sides of a 9 x 2″ cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Press the remaining dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. To bake the torte, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the preserves evenly over the dough, leaving a scant 1/2-inch border all around. Using the largest holes of a grater, grate the chilled reserved dough over the jam (or cut the dough into matchsticks and scatter them over the jam).
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Tent the torte loosely with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, until it is a deep golden brown.
5. Cool the torte in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the sides to release the torte. Let it cool completely. Invert the torte onto a plate and serve sprinkled with powdered sugar, if desired.
Omnivore Books On Food
3885 Cesar Chavez St.
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 282 4712
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Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, 12 – 5 p.m.
Let's Live La Vida 
This place looks like an absolute paradise–I can't wait to stop by once I'm in the area again! How did you stumble across this gem?
I found out about Omnivore because Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen had a book signing there a few weeks ago. I couldn't attend the signing but stopped by when I was in San Francisco last weekend. It's every foodie's dream bookstore!
Oh wow! That would be my dream bookstore! I always migrate straight to the cookbook section at Barnes and Noble (even though I get most of my recipes online…), the pictures are always too irresistible!
I do the same thing! I love sitting in a corner of the bookstore with a stack of cookbooks. My goal is to eventually cook through an entire cookbook. 🙂
Maral, thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe. This torte will be a perfect choice for a Holiday soup and dessert dinner party I am having for my friends. I will be posting another wonderful and Very Easy recipe by Alice Medrich soon on my blog. Also, thanks for the information on Omnivore Books. I am in San Francisco from time to time and it will definitely be part of my itinerary during my next visit.
Mary, that sounds like such a fun holiday party you are throwing! I would love to hear how the torte turns out when you make it. For someone who collects cookbooks, you would love visiting Omnivore. I'm sure you would find a few new things to add to your collection. 🙂
I so have to try this…my dad loves linzer torte but I find it a pain to make…this looks way easier and so tasty!
Sara, the beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. You throw everything into the food processor to make the dough, chill it, spread the preserves on top, and bake! And it's so delicious too. I would love to know how it turns out when you bake it.