APRICOT STARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Halve dough and reserve one half, covered and chilled. Roll out remaining dough between sheets of wax paper into an approximately 10-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick, and freeze or chill on a baking sheet until firm about 15 minutes.
• With a 1 1/2- to 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter cut out stars, arranging them about 1 inch apart on baking sheets and gathering scraps to reroll and cut for a total of 60 stars. If dough becomes too soft to work with, refreeze or chill uncut dough until firm.
• Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, about 8 minutes, and transfer carefully to racks to cool.
• Roll out, chill or freeze if necessary, and cut out reserved dough in same manner into about 60 more stars. With a smaller star or round cutter cut and lift out centers of second batch of stars. Bake second batch of cookies in middle of oven until pale golden, about 8 minutes, and transfer carefully to racks and cool.
• In a small saucepan simmer jam, stirring, 2 minutes, and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids.
• On a tray or work surface, arrange whole stars, bottom sides up. Drop 1/4 teaspoon jam on each cookie, spreading almost to edges, and top with a cut-out star. Any remaining jam can be spooned into centers. Let cookies stand until set. Cookies may be stored between layers of wax paper in airtight containers up to 6 weeks frozen.