Almond Creme Food

DARK CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES WITH TOASTED ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• For the whoopee pies: Position 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Combine both kinds of chocolate and the butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium pot about a third of the way with water and bring to a simmer. Place the over the simmering water and lower the heat. Melt the chocolate and butter gently together, stirring and scraping the sides to avoid scorching, until melted, then remove the bowl from the heat. Cool 2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk together the sugar, eggs and vanilla in another bowl. Set aside. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in another bowl. Whisk in the egg and then the chocolate mixture. Do not overmix.
• Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray and drop the batter on them in large spoonfuls about 2 inches in diameter, leaving room between each to allow spreading.
• Bake, rotating and switching the positions of baking sheets halfway through, until the whoopee pies puff up slightly and settle, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before gingerly lifting them off and transferring to a flat surface.
• For the filling: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan until hot and add 3/4 cup toasted almonds. Turn off the heat. Allow the almonds to steep in the milk 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the milk and pour it back into the same pan.
• Beat together the sugar, cornstarch, flour and egg yolks in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until thick, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour some of the hot milk mixture over the eggs and blend. Pour the egg mixture back into the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the almond extract and continue to cook until the mixture begins to bubble, then cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a layer of plastic pressed against the surface so the cream doesn't form a skin. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Sandwich some of the cream and the remaining 1/4 cup toasted almonds between chocolate rounds. Drizzle with melted chocolate if using. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

PUFF PASTRY TART FILLED WITH ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Purée almond paste, granulated sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 egg, vanilla, and almond extract and purée until incorporated. Add flour and pulse until incorporated.
• Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet into an 11 1/2-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, then brush off excess flour from both sides. Cut out an 11-inch round by tracing around an inverted plate with tip of a paring knife. Transfer round to a buttered large baking sheet (not dark metal, or pastry may brown too much), discarding trimmings, and chill. Repeat procedure with second pastry sheet, leaving round on floured surface.
• Beat remaining egg with a fork and brush some over top of second round. Score round decoratively all over using tip of knife, then make several small slits all the way through pastry, at about 2-inch intervals, to create steam vents.
• Brush some of egg in a 1-inch-wide border around edge of chilled pastry round (on baking sheet). Mound almond cream in center of chilled round, spreading slightly, and bury bean in cream. Immediately cover with decorated round and press edges together lightly. Holding a small spoon with side at an angle, press around edge to seal galette decoratively.
• Bake galette in lower third of oven until puffed and pale golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Dust galette with confectioners sugar and bake in upper third of oven until edge is deep golden brown and shiny, 12 to 15 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.

ALMOND CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Heat cream in a heavy saucepan.
• Add granulated sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Beat egg yolks until light and creamy.
• Add t he hot cream to the egg yolks gradually, whipping constantly with a wire whisk (not an electric beater). Stir in remaining ingredients except the brown sugar.
• Pour into a 6-cup souffle dish, and sprinkle brown sugar on top.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, or until custard tests done. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : This is not for anyone on a low cal, low fat, or low cholesterol diet.

BEST EVER ALMOND CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (with high sides) or three 8-inch round cake pans (with high sides), lining the bottoms with parchment paper rounds for easy release.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer) whip the butter on medium high speed until very smooth. Add the sugar and mix on high speed until fluffy and creamy. The sugar will start to dissolve into the butter a little bit during this creaming process, so you should be able to feel the grains of sugar getting smaller.
• Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly at this stage to make sure everything is mixed well.
• Mix in the oil and almond extract on low speed.
• Measure the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup and and set aside.
• Measure and sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl and combine with a wire whisk.
• Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternatively while the mixer is running on low speed. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, half the buttermilk, another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the other half of the milk, and the remaining dry ingredients.
• Turn the speed of the mixer to medium-low and mix until the batter is smooth (about one minute).
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 29-34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean.
• Cool the cakes in the pans for about 5-7 minutes and then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Once the cakes are cool, store them wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to frost. They should be refrigerated for at least 1 hour before frosting.
• While the cakes cool, heat the milk in a small saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the flour slowly, whisking constantly to combine.
• Continue to cook this mixture, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and no lumps remain.
• Spread out the thickened milk and flour mixture onto a dinner plate to cool completely.
• When the mixture is cool, press it through a sieve or strainer to remove any tiny lumps that may remain.
• Add it to a large bowl with a hand mixer, or to the bowl of your stand mixer, and mix on medium-high speed until smooth.
• Add the butter and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture is very smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, along with the salt and the almond extract.
• Continue to mix on medium-high until the frosting is extra smooth and creamy.
• Level the top of the cakes with a serrated bread knife or a cake leveler (if you have one). Place one of the cakes on a plate or cake stand and place a dollop of frosting on top.
• Spread out the frosting to the edges of the cake, place the next layer on top and then frost the top and sides of the cake until everything is smooth.
• Use Life Love and Sugar's tutorial on how to get straight edges when frosting layer cakes with buttercream (find the tutorial HERE), or simply frost it in a rustic pattern as you wish.
• Arrange the fruit pieces, cookies, and almonds on top as you wish.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ALMOND CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Combine graham crumbs, 1/3 cup sugar and butter; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 min. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup milk. Beat egg yolks until blended; stir into cornstarch mixture. Bring remaining milk just to boil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Gradually add cornstarch mixture, mixing well after each addition. Cook on low heat 5 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in almond extract. Pour into crust.
• Beat egg whites in large bowl with mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie filling, sealing egg white mixture to edge of crust.
• Bake 12 to 15 min. or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over pie. Sprinkle with nuts.

ALMOND CREAM LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Pour everything into a blender and blend until smooth.
• Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.
• Shake well before serving.
• Serve chilled.

ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• Place the almonds in a food processor and process to a fine meal.
• Combine the eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale and creamy.
• Fold in the cream, brandy and then the almonds. Serve immediately.

ALMOND CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the Crust:.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Place the sifted flour, salt and butter in a bowl and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture has an even, granular texture. Add the powdered sugar and blend. Sprinkle with the water, mix gently and gather together to form a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Butter a 20.5 cm (8 in.) tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Roll out the dough to a thickness of .5cm and place it over the pan without stretching. Press well into the bottom and up the sides, then roll the rolling pin firmly over the top to trim the excess. Prick with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.
• Prepare the filling:.
• In a saucepan over medium- low heat, make a roux by melting the butter and stirring in the flour with a wooden spoon. In a separate saucepan, bring the milk, salt and sugar to a boil.
• Add the hot milk to the roux a little at a time, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Continue whisking and cooking over low heat for 5 minutes, until thick.
• Remove from heat and add the egg yolks and powdered almonds, whisking briskly. Do not allow the filling to boil after the egg yolks are added, or it will separate.
• Pour the filling into the pre-cooked pie shell. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned. Cool completely and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

ALMOND CREME

Steps:

• Note: Cook time is the chill time.
• Measure cold water into small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Let stand for 1 minute.
• Add sugar to gelatin mixture.
• Stir until gelatin dissolves.
• Pour boiling water into medium bowl.
• Stir in gelatin mixture.
• Combine milk, vanilla and almond extract. Stir milk mixture into gelatin mixture.
• Divide mixture between four serving dishes. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
• Pare and slice kiwis.
• Arrange kiwi slices and strawberries over each dessert.
• Gelatin equivalents are One envelope of plain granulated gelatin = 1/4 ounce = 1 tablespoon, enough to gel two cups liquid.
• Sometimes I substitute vanilla sugar for the sugar. This can be found in most European or gourmet markets. Or, make it yourself by combining two whole vanilla beans and sugar in a canister. The ratio of sugar to beans depends on how strong it is as well as how long you let it sit.

FRANGIPANE: ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• When you are ready to use it, fill your pastries, tart, or tartlets and bake.

ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, ground almonds, rum, almond extract, and flour; beat until smooth. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the almond and coconut flours in a small bowl.
• Combine the butter and sugar in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the almond extract and egg and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue beating until just combined and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently fold in the sliced almonds.
• Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment or wax paper and use the paper to help mold the dough into a 10-by-2-inch log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Slice the dough into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool before serving. The cookies will firm up as they cool.

FRESH STRAWBERRIES WITH ALMOND CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Put chopped almonds in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to toast, about 3 minutes.
• Add milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks, and whisk well to combine. Cook, whisking almost constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
• While sauce is still hot, strain it through a sieve and let cool a bit. To serve, put a cup of strawberries in each dish, drizzle with warm sauce and garnish with slivered almonds. Sauce will keep, tightly covered, in refrigerator for up to 3 days.