In a frying pan, toast the almond meal until slightly brown. Set aside to cool.

With a mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until no clumps remain. Add in the extract and egg, beating slowly until combined.

Once the toasted almonds have cooled, add them to the butter mixture.

In a seperate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the flour to the mixing bowl and combine with the butter mixture until a dough ball forms.

Place in the refrigerator to chill for one hour.

Lightly flour your working surface and roll out the dough, approx. one Centimeter in thickness.

use a cookie cutter to Shape the cookies. Half the cookies will be whole(bottom), the other half will have a hole in the middle(top). use a smaller cookie cutter to cut a window out of the center. Place the shaped cookies on parchment and bake for approx. 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

When you remove them from the oven, while still hot, use the flat bottom of a glass to flatten the top of the cookie. Do this slowly and with minimal pressure to prevent cracks in the dough. The cookies will be cooked after 5 minutes, but not browned. Over baking will cause the cookies to dry out and turn hard.

Let the cookies cool fully before continuing. Dust all the top cookies with powdered sugar.

Place a spoon full of fruit preserves on the bottom cookie. Spread a thin layer to the edges but keep a majority of the preserves in the middle. The preserves act like glue and spreading too much to the edge will cause it to gush out when you bite it. Place the powdered sugar coated cookie on top of the layer of preserves, sandwiching the two cookies together.

These cookies are best served an enjoyed a day later, when the preserves have a chance to soak into the cookie.