Almond Lemon Macaroons Almendrados Food

ALMOND-LEMON MACAROONS (ALMENDRADOS)

Steps:

• Using a food processor equipped with a metal blade, grind 2 cups almonds very finely. Add 3/4 cup sugar, the egg and lemon zest, and pulse to make a cohesive dough. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner. Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.
• Pinching off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut, roll them first into balls, then into sugar. Gently press an almond point first into top of each cookie, so that half the almond can be seen. Arrange cookies one inch apart on baking sheet.
• Bake until cookies have barest hint of color but still remain soft, 8 to 10 minutes. (Cookies must be soft when removed from oven to avoid excess hardening when they cool.) Cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

ALMENDRADOS (ALMOND-LEMON MACAROONS)

Steps:

• Using a food processor equipped with a metal blade, grind 2 cups almonds very finely. Add 3/4 cup sugar, the egg and lemon zest, and pulse to make a cohesive dough. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner. Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.
• Pinching off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut, roll them first into balls, then into sugar. Gently press an almond point first into top of each cookie, so that half the almond can be seen. Arrange cookies one inch apart on baking sheet.
• Bake until cookies have barest hint of color but still remain soft, 8 to 10 minutes. (Cookies must be soft when removed from oven to avoid excess hardening when they cool.) Cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

LEMON MACAROONS

Steps:

• These cookies are light and fun to make. They can be a great fall or winter addition to some chocolate treats.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. In a medium bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and almond flour.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the 5 egg whites for 1 minute to combine. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating the whites on high speed until soft peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the scraped vanilla bean seeds and continue beating until it is fully incorporated and the whites are glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the lemon zest and the powdered sugar mixture.
• Coat 1 or 2 large baking sheets with a layer of parchment paper. Spray the paper with a thin layer of nonstick spray. Put heaping teaspoonfuls of the batter about 2-inches apart on the tray(s). Take care to leave the space between each mound because this batter spreads as it bakes.
• Put the tray in the center of the oven and bake for 8 minutes, then raise the temperature to 375 degrees F and bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and form a nice shell-like exterior, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before gingerly removing them from the tray with an offset spatula. Take care! They can stick to the paper.

ITALIAN ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the almond paste, egg whites and lemon extract until smooth. Sift together the white sugar and confectioners' sugar, then combine sugars with the flour and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture along with the food coloring of your choice. Drop by teaspoonfuls, two inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle some nuts on top of each cookie.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden around the edges. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store or freeze in an airtight container.

ALMOND-LEMON MACAROONS (PASSOVER ALMENDRADOS)

Steps:

• Using a food processor equipped with a metal blade, grind 2 cups almonds very finely. Add 3/4 cup sugar, the egg and lemon zest, and pulse to make a cohesive dough. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner. Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.
• Pinching off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut, roll them first into balls, then into sugar. Gently press an almond point first into top of each cookie, so that half the almond can be seen. Arrange cookies one inch apart on baking sheet.
• Bake until cookies have barest hint of color but still remain soft, 8 to 10 minutes. (Cookies must be soft when removed from oven to avoid excess hardening when they cool.) Cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

ALMOND MACAROONS -- THE PASSOVER COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients, except for the egg whites.
• Stir in the egg whites.
• The dough will be like thick, wet sand.
• Roll into one inch balls.
• Place on a greased (or foil lined, or parchment paper lined) cookie sheet and flatten slightly.
• Press an almond sliver into each cookie.
• Bake at 350°F.
• for 15-20 minutes, until dry and lightly brown.