Almond Crust Food

ALMOND CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
• Combine almond meal, sugar, and salt (if using) in a small bowl. Pour in melted butter and stir till just combined. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 10" springform pan (or muffin tins, depending on what you're making).
• Bake crust for 10-15 minutes, till golden. Cool completely before filling.

CLASSIC LEMON TART WITH COCONUT-ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• For the coconut-almond crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the coconut for garnishing the tart.
• Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons cooled toasted coconut, the all-purpose flour, almond flour and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the almond extract and egg and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until all of the dry ingredients are just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Form the dough into a disc and press it evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch nonstick tart pan with removable bottom; if necessary, use a piece of plastic wrap to help keep the dough from sticking. Refrigerate the tart shell until firm, about 1 hour, or freeze for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven again to 350 degrees F.
• Line the tart shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and bake until the edges of the crust are barely golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown all over, about 20 minutes. Cool completely, then gently remove the tart shell from the pan and onto a plate.
• For the lemon curd filling: Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, using the butter paper to make sure the butter does not splatter, usually about a minute on 40 percent power. Then, add the sugar and salt and whisk together. Add the whole eggs and egg yolk and whisk again. Add the lemon zest and juice and whisk well. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove carefully and whisk. Continue to microwave in 1-minute intervals, whisking after each minute, until the mixture is thick. It usually takes between 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the microwave. Note that the mixture will get thin before it gets thick.
• Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and push the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
• For the whipped cream: Place the whipping cream, sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until soft peaks form.
• To assemble the tart: Pour the lemon curd into the tart shell and spread evenly. Place the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe a border around the edge of the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut. Allow the tart to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing.

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
• Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.

ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Blend flour, almonds, sugar and salt in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in almond extract and enough water to form moist clumps. Knead dough briefly on work surface to combine; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm before rolling, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

ALMOND FLOUR PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Grease a 9-inch (26 cm) pie pan with butter. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, salt, and sweetener.
• Stir in cooled melted butter, vanilla, and beaten egg.
• Combine with a spatula at first, then knead with your hand to form a pie dough (Watch my step-by-step picture above in this post for visual help).
• Place the dough ball in the center of two pieces of greased parchment paper and roll into a large1/8-inch thick rectangle.
• Peel off the first piece of parchment paper, slide your hand under the second piece of parchment paper with the rolled crust on it and quickly flip over the grease pie pan.
• Peel off the remaining piece of parchment paper to release the dough on the pie dish. The crust will break slightly, that's fine.
• Gently push down the rolled crust to fit the pan - some extra dough will fall out on the side of the pan. Use these pieces of dough to patch the holes where the crust breaks. Keep patching holes and smoothen the crust with the back of a spoon.
• Prick the crust using a fork and cover the sides of the crust with foil - this prevents the sides from darkening too fast. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Prebake the crust for 15-20 minutes. If the center puffs up, use a fork to prick and deflate.
• Remove from oven and add your favorite pie filling and return to the oven following the pie recipe to set the filling. You can keep the foil protection on the side of the pan to prevent it from darkening. Bake until the filling of your pie is set.

PASSOVER LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Make crust: Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle. Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter until combined well. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Bake until crust is firm and a shade darker, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a rack.
• Make filling and bake cheesecake: Reduce oven temperature to 300°F Beat together cream cheese and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated. Mix in zest and vanilla.
• Put springform pan in a shallow baking pan and pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center is wobbly, 45 to 50 minutes (filling will continue to set as it cools). Transfer cake in pan to a rack and immediately run a knife around edge, then remove side of pan. Cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.

PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK-STYLE ALMOND CRUST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Spray bottom of pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with almonds.
• Beat Neufchatel, cream cheese, sugar, sugar substitute and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Top with raspberries just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator. Makes 16 servings

LEMON TART WITH ALMOND CRUST

Steps:

• Place the flour, almonds, sugar, butter, extract and salt in a food processor. Cover and pulse until blended. Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture forms a soft dough. , Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°., In a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, peel and salt until blended. Add butter; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Pour into crust., Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.