ALMOND FILLED COOKIE CAKE

CRUST:
2 2/3 c. flour
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. butter
1 egg
1/4 tsp. almond flavoring

FILLING:
1 c. grated or finely chopped almonds or 1 (12 1/2 oz.) can Solo brand almond filling
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 egg, beaten (optional, if using Solo filling)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9 or 10-inch springform pan or glass cake pan.
In mixer bowl, blend all crust ingredients at low speed until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half and with floured hands shape into 2 balls. Place between waxed paper or plastic wrap. Press 1 ball flat to the size of the pan. Prepare the second ball in the same way for the top of the cake.

In a small bowl, blend all filling ingredients. Spread over crust to within 1/2 inch of sides of pan. If using Solo filling, make shallow impressions in the bottom crust to help hold the filling. Place second layer of dough over the filling. Remove paper. Garnish with almonds, if desired. Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 60 minutes or until golden brown.

If using Solo filling, test center with a sharp knife to make sure the center is not liquid. If it is, bake 10 minutes more. Cool 15 minutes and remove from springform pan. If using a glass pan, use sharp knife to loosen cake sides from pan while still warm. Cool completely. Serves 24. Store covered in refrigerator. This tastes better after a day or two. Cut thin slices, it's very rich!