Almond Lemon Macaroons Passover Almendrados Food

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.

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.

FRENCH ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Combine sugar and almonds in food processor fitted with metal blade. Process 3 minutes to grind into a fine powder. If mixture is sticking, scrape down sides of bowl. Add starch and process 1 minute more.
• In another bowl or a mixer, whip egg whites, salt and extract together at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Working in 3 additions, fold almond mixture into egg whites, turning over and over until incorporated. Batter will be sticky and thick. Set aside to rest 20 minutes.
• Spoon batter by tablespoons onto prepared pans; cookies will spread to about 3-inch rounds, so leave plenty of room. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are puffed, golden and shiny, 18 to 20 minutes. As soon as cookies come out of oven, remove paper (with cookies on it) from baking sheet. Let cookies cool completely before removing from paper; use a thin metal spatula or knife blade if cookies stick.

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.

PASSOVER ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whip the egg whites to almost-stiff peaks in the bowl of an electric mixer. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, ground almonds, and almond extract. Fold the sugar-and-almond mixture gently into the egg whites in three batches.
• Drop teaspoons of the batter onto the baking sheet, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until just dry.

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.

PASSOVER ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks well.
• Add sugar, and beat until mixture is lemon colored.
• Add the ground almonds and mix thoroughly.
• Chill for one hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Take small pieces of the mixture and shape into small balls.
• (I used a melon baller, for a 5/8-3/4" diameter cookie).
• Place the macaroons on a greased baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
• Top with half an almond.
• Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Notes: These cookies spread.
• I have made up to a triple batch with good results.
• Be careful if using a food processor to powder the almonds.
• They seem to turn the nuts into almond butter, rather than a flour-like consistency.