DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN + RAINBOW COOKIES

Ah, the eighties, when Camel could withdraw a $5,000 sponsorship because of a scene where Dez told Roberta that she should stop smoking (thank you IMDb for the trivia). Otherwise, SOLID costume design and soundtrack.

Directed by: Susan Seidelman

Starring: Rosanna Arquette, Madonna, and Aidan Quinn

Screenplay by: Leora Barish

Leslie Glass: “Roberta, don’t make me eat these. They’re so good!”

Rainbow Cookies (I used Valerie Bertinelli’s Neapolitan Holiday Cookie recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/valerie-bertinelli/neapolitan-holiday-cookies-3184532)

Cooking spray

8 oz. almond paste

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 c. granulated sugar

4 eggs, separated

2 c. flour

Red food coloring

Green food coloring

1/4 c. seedless raspberry jam

1/4 c. smooth apricot preserves

6 oz. dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat 3 quarter-sheet pans with cooking spray. Line each pan with parchment paper and spray again.

Break up the almond paste into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy (about 7 minutes). Reduce the speed to medium and add the egg yolks. Beat until incorporated. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour until well combined. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Clean the mixer bowl thoroughly and fit it with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until thoroughly blended.

Transfer 1 1/2 c. of the batter to a medium bowl, then transfer another 1 1/2 c. of the batter to a second medium bowl. Add red food coloring to one of the bowls (I used about 5 drops) and stir until desired color is reached. Add green food coloring to the second bowl (I used about 15 drops) and stir until desired color is reached. Scrape each bowl of batter into a prepared pan, using a spatula to spread the batter to the edges.

Bake 12-14 minutes until the edges are golden brown, rotating and switching the positions of the pans halfway through the baking time.

Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes and then invert them onto cooling racks to cool completely.

Invert a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Place the red layer on top of the parchment and spread the raspberry jam evenly over the top. Place the plain cake layer on top and spread it with the apricot jam. Top with the green layer. Cover the whole pan and cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl) or in a double boiler. Remove the plastic wrap from the cake and spread the chocolate over the top of the cake. Let the chocolate cool and then cut into squares and serve.