Name:  Petit Fours, VENETIANS            Serves: 6  doz

Category: Dessert,cake         Cuisine:                    Source: Doer

Ingredients:

1 can (8 oz.) almond paste
3/4 # sweet butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp almond extract
1 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
10 drops green food coloring
8 drops red food coloring
1 (12 oz.) jar apricot preserves
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Grease 3-13x9x2" pans; line with wax paper; grease again

2. Break up almond paste in large bowl with a fork. Add butter, sugar, egg
yolks and almond extract. Beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy, 5
minutes.

3. Beat in flour and salt.

4. Beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. With wooden
spoon, fold in almond mixture, carefully so as not to break down frothy
whites.

5. Remove 1 1/2 cups batter. Spread evenly into pan. Remove another 1 1/2 cups
batter, add green food coloring and spread into second pan. Add red food
coloring to remaining batter and spread into last pan.

6. Bake pans in 350F oven for 15 minutes, or until edges are brown. Cakes will
be 1/4 thick.

7. Remove cakes from pans immediately and cool on large wire racks.

8. Place green layer on jelly roll pan. Heat apricot preserves, strain. Spread
1/2 of the warm preserves over green layer to edges. Slide yellow layer on
top. Spread with remaining preserves. Slide pink layer, right side up, onto
yellow layer.

9. Cover with plastic wrap, weigh down with large wooden cutting board or
heavy plate. Place in refrigerator overnight.

10. Merlt chocolate over hot water in a small cup. Spread to edges of cake.
Let dry 30 minutes. Trim edges off cakes. Cut into 1" squares.

These freeze well and can be kept for months.