LAYERED APRICOT NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Separate egg yolks from egg whites setting aside both.
• Dissolve dry yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
• Work together flour and butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles course meal.
• Add egg yolks,yeast mixture and milk and mix well to combine (using your hands works best).
• Divide dough into 3 portions, one slightly larger for bottom crust.
• Cover& let sit in a draft free place to raise for 1/2 hour.
• Meanwhile mix 3/1/2 cups ground walnuts with 1 cup of sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon.
• Mix well and reserve 1/2 cup of the nut mixture for the topping.
• Roll out larger portion of dough to fit a 15 x 10 sheet pan with 1 inch sides.
• Place the dough in the bottom of the sheet pan and cover with the nut mixture.
• Roll second sheet of dough to a 15x 10 rectangle and place on top of the nut layer.
• Evenly spread 2 jars of apricot filling on the second layer of dough.
• Roll third crust and place on top of the apricot layer.
• Score the top layer of the dough into 1 1/2 inch squares.
• Bake 350°F for 35 minutes and let cool on baking rack.
• Meanwhile beat 4 egg whites with 1/2 cup of sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Add almond extract and combine well.
• Spread on top of cooled, baked crust being sure to spread to all edges of the pan to prevent shrinking a sweating of the meringue.
• Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture.
• Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes and let cool.
• Store covered in the refrigerator, slicing into squares before serving.