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1
Dough: In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-low speed until it is smooth, about 1 minute.
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2
Beat in the sugars and salt at medium speed until creamy.
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3
Add the egg yolk, then the citrus zests and vanilla, mixing just until mixture is well combined and slightly fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
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4
Lower mixer speed, and gradually add the flour, mixing only until mixture is thoroughly combined.
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5
Divide the dough in thirds, and roll out each portion of dough between two sheets of waxed paper to form a circle 10 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
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6
Leaving the dough circles between the waxed paper, stack them on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days; or freeze, well wrapped, up to 1 month.
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7
Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two large cool baking sheets with parchment paper.
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8
Remove one dough package at at time from the refrigerator.
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9
Peel off top waxed paper sheet, replace it loosely on top, and flip the entire package over.
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10
Peel off and discard the second sheet of waxed paper.
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11
Using a 1 1/2-inch cutter of any shape, cut out shapes in the dough and set them about 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheets.
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12
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are no longer shiny, just ivory-colored, and feel slightly firm (lightly touch a few).
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13
Place baking sheet on a wire rack until cookies are cool.
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14
Jelly Glaze: Keep the oven rack in the same position; preheat oven to 140 degrees F. Place the apricot jam and currant jelly in two small saucepans.
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15
Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes to evaporate some liquid before decorating cookies.
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16
Cool just until warm.
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17
Brush warm apricot jam over half of one cookies surface.
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18
With a clean brush, paint the other half with the currant jelly.
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19
Paint the remaining cookies, setting them as you finish about 1/4 inch apart on one large clean baking sheet.
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20
Sugar Glaze: Mix the sugar and water together until smooth.
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21
With a clean pastry brush, paint a thin coating of glaze over the jelly-glazed cookies.
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22
The glazes consistency should be thin enough that a transparent film covers the jellies.
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23
Adjust the consistency by adding 1 teaspoon water at a time if it is too thick or more sugar if it is too thin.
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24
Place cookies in preheated oven until glaze is set and dry, about 10 minutes.
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25
Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; then, lift cookies with a metal spatula to a rack to cool.
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26
Stack undecorated cookies in an airtight metal container and store at room temperature up to 10 days.
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27
Store decorated cookies in one layer in a covered foil-lined cardboard container, such as a cake box, at room temperature up to 3 days.
