dough: 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup ground blanched almonds

1 1/2 cup unbleached -- all-purpose flour

finishing: 1 egg

1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds

1 cup apricot or raspberry preserves

1/4 cup water

confectioner's sugar

Beat the butter until light and soft, then beat in sugar. Continue beating until very light. Stir in the almonds, then the flour. Scrape dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten and wrap. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Flour dough and surface very lightly and roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 3-/to 4-inch rounds

with a fluted cutter. Transfer to paper-lined pans and cut a 1-inch opening in half the rounds with a plain cutter.

Paint the cut rounds with beaten egg and strew with sliced almonds. Bake the bases at 325 degrees about 15 minutes, keeping them very pale. Cool the bases.

Combine the preserves and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Strain into another pan and simmer the glaze until sticky.

Sift confectioner's sugar over the almond-coated bases. Paint the others with the glaze and adhere the sugared bases to them. Fill in the openings with more glaze.