Irma was quite fond of these: “The star of stars. Quite the best I know how to make. This macaroon tart calls for two kinds of cake—a rich cookie as a base and an almond macaroon as a topping. Add to this thick, good jam—strawberry or plum—and you have as delicious a combination as can be found.”

Beat in a medium bowl until creamy:

Beat in:

Stir together in a small bowl:

Add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture in batches, alternating with:

Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease or line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out the dough ⅛ inch thick. Using a round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut into 3-inch rounds, and place on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps and reroll up to two more times to cut out more cookies. Whip in a medium bowl until soft peaks form:

Gradually beat in:

Beat the meringue until stiff and glossy. Fold in:

Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip or a zip-top bag with one corner cut off. Pipe the meringue mixture in a ½-inch-wide ring around the edges of each dough round. Fill the center of each cookie with:

Use a small offset spatula to spread the jam evenly. If you like, add two crossed lines of meringue on top, shown below. Bake until lightly browned and the meringue is set, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through.