INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups toasted slivered almonds, chopped, divided
• No-stick cooking spray
• About 1/2 cup apricot or raspberry preserves
• Powdered sugar (optional)

• Whisk together the sugar and the butter together until it becomes buttery and then toss in the egg yolks, salt, almond extract and vanilla and then mix. Add in the flour and a quarter cup of almonds and then blend the mixture together thoroughly. Mold it into a ball and then chill it inside the refrigerator wrapped for sixty minutes.
• Set your oven to 375 degrees f and then lightly oil a baking dish and then get the dough out of the fridge and mold it into an inch balls while adding in the a cup of almonds. Arrange the balls into the and then poke the center of the ball. Stuff it with the scant half tsp of preserves and then place it inside the oven.
• Let it bake for twenty to twenty five minutes and then allow it to cool down for five more minutes and then dust it with powdered sugar.
• Place into the wire racks for further cooling; if you are going to store it place it into a sealed jar.