Raspberry Jam Sandwich Cookies

Recipe for Olga’s Original Raspberry Jam Sandwich Cookies or Spitzbuben (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Paleo Friendly)Ingredients:1. 15 ½ tablespoons (200 g) grass-fed ghee2. ½ cup (100 g) pure maple sugar3. 2 large eggs4. 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract5. Finely grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon6. 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg7. ½ cup (40 g) hazelnut meal/flour8. 1 cup (80 g) super-fine natural almond meal/flour9. 2 cups (270 g) cassava flour10. ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (80 g) arrowroot starch/flourFor the Filling:1/2 cup Olga's Original Raw Raspberry-Fig Fruit PasteTo make the fruit paste: In a food processor, combine 1 cup freeze dried raspberries, 1 1/4 cups roughly chopped fresh figs, 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, and 4-5 tablespoons date syrup; blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetener and flavorings to taste.Powdered maple sugar, for dusting, optionalDirections:1. In a large bowl, whisk together hazelnut meal, almond meal, cassava flour, and arrowroot starch; set aside.2. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together ghee and sugar until light and fluffy.3. Beat in eggs, one a time; stir in vanilla, lemon zest, and nutmeg.4. Gradually beat in flour mixture to form soft dough that doesn’t stick to your hands.5. Shape dough into 4 disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.6. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.7. On a LIGHTLY floured surface, roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Do not worry if dough tears, and it WILL. Just patch it up and carry on. Using more flour will just make the dough more susceptible to breakage. What helps here is working with a small piece of COLD dough at a time. With a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds, then use a star cutter to punch out centers on half the rounds.8. Place rounds, 1 inch apart, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes, rotating sheet at halftime.9. Repeat with remaining dough and dough scraps. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.10. Dust cut-out cookies with powdered maple sugar. Spoon ¼ teaspoon fruit paste in center of each solid cookie; spread to within 1/3 inch of edge. Place cut-out cookies on top of fruit paste-topped cookies.11. Store, layered between sheets of wax paper, in airtight container for up to 1 week.Makes about 3 dozen cookies