Tri-Color Venetian Cookies

Ingredients

1 8oz can almond paste
3 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
red and green food coloring
1 jar apricot preserves
3- 1oz squares semisweet chocolate

Prep

Preheat oven to 350
Coat 3 9x12 pans with cooking spray, line with waxed paper allowing paper to come up the short end.
Break up almong paste in large bowl.
Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract.
Beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Beat in flour and salt.
In a seperate bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks.
Fold into almond mixture until well blended.
Divide mixture into 3 equal portion.
Add green coloring to one portion and red to another portion.
Spread into individual pans.
Bake approximately 15 minutes until edges are golden brown
Remove immediately from pans using the waxed paper overhang.
Heat preserves and strain.
Spread on green layer, stack yellow layer, spread preserves on yellow layer and stack red layer.
Press down with large board.
Melt chocolate and spread evenly over top.
Let harden about 10 minutes.
Cut into 1 inch squares.