Chocolate Coconut Almond Macaroons

Chocolate Coconut Almond Macaroons

1 (14 oz. ) can sweetened condensed milk

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup chopped roasted salted almonds

3 oz. bittersweet or 70% cacao chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a double boiler or heat-proof bowl placed over pan of simmering water, place the unsweetened chocolate, salt and sweetened condensed milk in bowl and stir until chocolate is melted and combined with sweetened condensed milk.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and coconut. Stir until well combined.

Using a small ice cream scoop or disher about the size of a heaping teaspoon, scoop out macaroons out onto parchment lined baking sheets one inch apart.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Watch that they do not brown on bottom.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets.

Once cooled, drizzle heavily with the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with the chopped roasted-salted almonds.

Set aside and allow the chocolate to set up.

 

Dutch Almond Bar Delights

Base Dough:

1 egg

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

Filling:

2 eggs

1 cup almond paste

2 tsp. pure almond extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. water

pinch of salt

1 tsp. pure almond extract

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Chocolate Coating:

5 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. shortening

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add egg; blend well. Slowly add dry ingredients and blend until well combined. In a 9×13 pan lined with parchment paper, spread half the base dough into the bottom of the pan.

In a separate bowl blend together the almond paste and sugars until well combined. Add egg , salt and almond extract and beat until well combined. Pour over base in pan. With remaining base dough scatter in small pieces evenly over the top. Base dough is sticky. Place in oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven . Meanwhile combine all the icing ingredients and spread over hot bars. Quickly sprinkle the nuts over the top. Allow to cool completely. Using a knife loosen edges and remove bars from pan.

Prepare the chocolate coating by carefully melting the chocolate and shortening in the microwave in 30 second increments. Stir until glossy. Dip the bottoms of the bars in the chocolate coating and place on parchment paper to set up.

Almond Pink Rose’ Bars-Just a tiny hint of rose water makes them delicate in flavor.

 

Base:

1/2 lb. butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cardamom

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups raspberry jam

Almond Filling:

1 1/2 lbs. almond paste

10 eggs

3/4 lb. butter

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

7 tablespoons grenadine

1 tablespoon rose water

2 tsp. corn syrup

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1/2 cup pistachios , finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 12×18 jelly roll pan. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla. Blend in the flour, cardamom, and salt. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake until golden, for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven . Spread the raspberry jam over the top.

Prepare the almond filling. In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the almond paste with the eggs , one third at a time until smooth.

In  a bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Blend in the almond mixture and vanilla. Add the flour and salt. Beat until smooth. Pour mixture over the jam-covered crust.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the center feels quite firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Beat all the icing ingredients except the nuts. Blend well until combined. Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the top. Cut into bars once the icing is completely set.

Almond Truffle Brownies

 

Brownie Base:

2 3/4 cups sliced toasted almonds

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Brownie:

1/2 lb. butter

1 lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped

4 eggs

6 egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

Almond Icing:

1 1/2 cups sliced toasted almonds

1/2 lb. butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line and grease a 9×13 inch pan with foil, leaving enough foil over the edge to use as handle later on.

Brownie Base:

Place the toasted almonds in a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Process for  about 10 seconds; set aside.

Melt the butter in a bowl and stir in the ground nuts; stir nuts until well combined. Place in prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom; set aside.

Brownie:

Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over 1 inch of simmering water and melt the butter and chocolate; set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar on medium speed for 4 minutes. Scrape down bowl and beat on high for another 3 minutes until thick and lemon colored. With mixer on low, pour in melted chocolate. Blend until just combined and remove from mixer. Stir by hand with spatula until completely combined. Pour over the nut base. Bake for about 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. There should be a little batter on the toothpick. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 1 hour at room temperature.

Almond Icing:

Place the nuts in a bowl of a food processor and process for 10 seconds; set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts. Blend until well combined. Spread over the top of the cooled brownie. Cut into 24 squares. Store in refrigerator.

Almond Lemon Tart

 

Crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. almond extract

1 cup butter

Filling:

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup almond paste

1/2 cup sugar

zest from 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

3 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the flour, sugar. salt and almond extract and process until a ball of dough forms. Press evenly into a 12 inch removable bottom tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes , just to set. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile make the filling. To a food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade, place the almonds, almond paste and sugar and process until the nuts are ground. Add the remaining filling ingredients and process until well combined. Pour into the cooled crust. Bake the filled crust for about 20-25 minutes or until a knife when inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Serve garnished with whipped cream, dollop of lemon curd and sliced berries.

Pancetta Quinoa with Almonds is delightful.

 

1/3 cup sliced, toasted almonds

5 oz. diced pancetta

1 shallot, minced

1 head roasted garlic, pulp squeezed out

1/2 cup sliced green onions

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, brown the diced pancetta. Add the shallots and cook until softened but not brown. Add the roasted garlic and stir to combine. Stir in the stock; bring to boil and simmer covered until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork and toss to combine the toasted almonds, green onions and parsley into the quinoa. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Blackberry Almond Cobblers

 

4-12oz. ramekins

6 cups blackberries

8 oz. almond paste, divide into quarters

1 tsp. almond extract

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup sugar

sliced almond for tops

sanding sugar for tops

standard pie crust dough for 1- 9 inch crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together the berries, almond extract, sugar and flour; set aside. With the almond paste divided into quarters, press out into a disk the diameter of the ramekin. Divide the berry mixture evenly among the ramekins. Top berries with almond paste disk. Roll out the pie dough and cut into circles the diameter of the ramekins. Place the dough circles over the top of the almond paste. Lightly brush the crust with heavy cream and sprinkle tops with sanding sugar and sliced almonds. Place ramekins on baking sheet. Bake in oven for about 30-45 minutes or until crust is golden and filling bubbly.

Apple-Rhubarb Almond Crumble is ready and waiting for Spring and Summer.

Apple-Rhubarb Almond Crumble

Almond Crumble

14 oz. Self-rising flour

11 oz. Brown sugar

1 cup Butter

2 oz. chopped toasted almonds

Filling

4 peeled, cored and thinly sliced Granny Smith apples

1 pint sliced rhubarb

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the fruit, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, almond extract and flour. Toss to combine well; set aside.

Begin making the crumble. melt the butter. In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients for the crumble. Stir in the butter. Lightly toss and place in the freezer until well chilled.

Place the fruit mixture in about a 1 1/2 quart dish and evenly spread out over the bottom. Remove the chilled crumble from the freezer and crumble over the top of the fruit. If there ‘s extra crumble mixture, refreeze any extra for a later use.

Place crumble-fruit mixture into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown and filling is thick and bubbly.