Recipe courtesy of Bob Lombardi

Raspberry Farm Jelly with Peanut Butter and Applesauce Shortbread Spiders

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 1 hr 45 min (includes cooling time)
  • Active: 45 min
  • Yield: twelve 2-inch spiders

Ingredients

Raspberry Jelly:

Handcrafted Peanut Butter:

Applesauce Shortbread:

Directions

Special equipment:
a candy thermometer, electric mixer, spice grinder, 2-inch round silicone candy molds and 3 disposable pastry bags
  1. For the raspberry jelly: Combine the sugar and agar in a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Whisk in the cold water and add the glucose syrup. Cook at a gentle boil while stirring until the mixture reaches 223 degrees F, about 8 minutes.
  2. Remove the agar mixture from the heat and allow to cool to 194 degrees F. Add the raspberry juice, stir to incorporate and pour into 2-inch round silicone candy molds. Allow to set for 45 minutes in the refrigerator.
  3. For the handcrafted peanut butter: Process the dry roasted peanuts in a spice grinder until smooth. Add the canola oil and process again, then add the agave nectar and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the peanut butter to a piping bag and set aside.
  4. For the applesauce shortbread: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, applesauce and cream and mix to incorporate, about 1 minute. Add the flour, vanilla and salt and mix until the dough holds together, about 1 minute.
  6. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag and cut a 1/4-inch opening at the end. Pipe out 2-inch circles of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
  7. Transfer the peanut butter to a pastry bag, pipe the peanut butter onto the cooled shortbread cookies and spread it out to the edges. Top each with the cooled and set raspberry jelly.
  8. To decorate: Put the chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and set the bowl of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth and transfer to a piping bag.
  9. Cut a small opening at the end of the pastry bag and decorate the tops of each cookie with spider legs.