Almond Cigar Food

THE BEST ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Adjust rack to center position and heat the oven to 350 degree. Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper.
• Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nuts in a large bowl and stir to combine. In a small bowl combine the eggs, butter and vanilla and whisk to fully combine.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, mix to combine until a rough dough forms.
• Dump the dough onto a work surface and knead a couple of times until the dough comes together, adding extra flour sparingly and only if necessary. Start to form the dough into a big, fat cigar and cut it in half. Form each half into a cigar about 1 inch thick, 2 inches wide and about 12 inches long. Place them onto the cookie sheet and lightly press with fingers to slightly flat cigars.
• Bake for 25 minutes reversing the pan halfway through. The bars will be firm to the touch and just slightly browned. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 300 degrees. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
• Remove cookies to a cutting board using two spatulas. Using a serrated knife, slice the bars on an angle about 1/2 inch tick to form the biscotti. Lay them back on the cookie sheet with either cut side down and place back in oven for 15 minutes. Turn each cookie to expose the other cut side and place in oven for another 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack to room temperature. Place cookies in an airtight container.

CIGARS WITH ALMONDS AND HONEY.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. Prepare the nut filling: place all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. set aside while you prepare the phyllo.
• 3. unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with phyllo sheet, keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.
• 4. Use a pair of scissors to cut the sheets into 3 ½-inch-long strips.
• 5. Take a strip of phyllo dough and brush it with butter. Place another strip on top of the first and brush it with butter. Repeat until you have a four-sheet layer.
• 6. Spread one heaping tablespoon of the nut mixture onto the phyllo layer, one inch from the edge of the side nearest to you. Fold the corners over the mixture to seal, and roll it away from you to form a cigar shape. Brush the end with a small amount of egg yolk and press to seal. repeat steps 5 and 6 until you have used all the phyllo and nut filling.
• 7. coat a large baking pan with butter and lay the phyllo cigars in it lengthwise. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.
• 8. While the phyllo cigars are baking, make the syrup: Put the honey and orange blossom water into a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• 9. When the phyllo cigars are done, remove the pan from the oven. Dip the cigars, one by one, into the honey syrup and place on a serving platter.

ALMOND CIGAR

Steps:

• Shake ingredients well and pour into a daiquiri glass, garnish with a stick of cinnamon wrapped with a lime peel.

CHICKEN CIGARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place chicken in a bowl and mix with spices and parsley. Place a piece of phyllo on a nonstick cookie sheet, butter it and top with a second sheet. Divide the chicken in half. Form a 1-inch thick log the length of the long side of the phyllo dough. Roll the log in phyllo tightly. Cut the chicken filled phyllo into 4 "cigars" and brush with a dab more butter. Repeat to make a total of 8 chicken and phyllo roll-ups.
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden.