Almond Squares I Food

ALMOND SQUARES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.
• To make crust: In a large bowl, cream shortening, white sugar and brown sugar. Separate egg and beat in yolk and vanilla, stirring until well blended. Slowly add in the flour and blend well. Mixture will be stiff.
• Press dough evenly into baking pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Spread the melted chocolate over warm crust. Sprinkle top with almonds. Let cool on wire rack before cutting.

ALMOND SQUARES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream butter in a large mixing bowl; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk (reserve egg white), almond paste, and flavoring; beat until well blended. Stir in flour.
• Spread mixture in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Beat egg white (at room temperature) until foamy; brush over entire surface of dough, and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly, and cut into 2 inch squares. Store in airtight containers.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a mixer beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and almond extract and beat well. Slowly add flour mixture and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface, and, with a sharp knife, divide the dough into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a 12 by 3-inch roll (or whatever size you like).
• Place 2 rolls on an ungreased cookie sheet, 4 inches apart. Repeat with remaining rolls. Brush rolls with milk and sprinkle with almonds. Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. While cookies are still warm cut them crosswise at a diagonal into 1-inch strips. Cool on a wire rack.
• For the glaze:
• In a small bowl, mix the sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over almond cookies. Let sit until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.

GINGERED LEMON ALMOND SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a food processor grind fine the almonds with 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar and 1 cup of the flour, add the butter, and blend the mixture until it just resembles meal. Pat the mixture into an 8-inch-square baking pan and bake the crust in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is pale golden. Let the crust cool completely in the pan on a rack.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs until they are thick and pale, beat in the granulated sugar and the lemon juice, and beat the mixture for 8 minutes. Sift in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour, the baking powder, the ginger, and a pinch of salt, stir the filling until it is combined well, and pour it over the crust. Bake the confection in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the filling is set and pale golden. Transfer the dessert in the pan to the rack, sift the additional confectioners' sugar over the top, and let the dessert cool completely. Cut the dessert into 2-inch squares.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon-colored. Beat in butter and extract; gradually stir in the four and mix well. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

ALMOND FRUIT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolk. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in almonds.
• In a small bowl, whisk jam to loosen. (Stirring the jam with a fork or a whisk will enable it to spread smoothly over the dough.) Gently press half of dough into bottom of prepared dish. With the back of a spoon, gently spread jam over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border so the jam doesn't stick to the sides of the pan. Sprinkle remaining dough over top all the way to the edges; press gently to form top layer.
• Bake until top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes; cool completely in dish. Cut into bars with a serrated knife.

ALMOND SQUARES

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease an 11x16 inch jelly roll pan.
• In an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light.
• Add the egg yolk and vanilla.
• With the mixer set on its lowest speed, beat in the flour.
• Pat the batter into the prepared pan, pressing it into the corners.
• Beat the white until frothy.
• Spread the white on the batter and sprinkle it with almonds.
• Transfer the pan to the hot oven and bake the mixture for 15 to 18 minutes or until it is golden brown.
• Cut into 48 pieces (diamonds, squares).
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container.

ALMOND GRAHAM SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil; coat with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, and salt; stir until moistened. Stir in 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds.
• Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan (if mixture is very sticky, pat in with moistened fingers). Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup sliced almonds, patting in gently.
• Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
• Remove from pan; peel off foil, and cut into 16 squares with a serrated knife.