Almond Walnut Thumbprint Macaroons Food

ALMOND-WALNUT THUMBPRINT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Put the almonds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until mostly powdered with a few crunchy bits remaining, about 15 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl. Put the walnuts in the food processor and pulse until mostly powdered. Add the walnuts to the almonds.
• Add the sugar, cardamom, egg and egg whites to the bowl and, using one hand, mix to combine. Cover with a towel and let the mixture sit for at least 8 hours or overnight to dry out a bit.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour rose water or 1 cup of water in a small shallow bowl. Dampen your hands with the rose water and scoop up about a tablespoon of the dough at a time, pressing it into walnut-size balls. Place the macaroons on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart and flatten them slightly. Use your thumb to make a small indentation in the middle of each.
• Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and cook for 15 minutes, then remove and put either 1/4 teaspoon of the raspberry jam or a pistachio in each thumbprint. Rotate the pans and continue baking for 10 more minutes or until golden and firm. Cool to room temperature on the baking sheets and serve or freeze.

ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Put almond paste, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until crumbly, about 3 minutes. Add egg white and vanilla. Mix until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Drop batter by tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Place 2 almond slices on each mound of dough. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Just before serving, lightly dust cookies with sugar.

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.

WALNUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. , Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball. , Combine filling ingredients; spoon about 1 teaspoonful into each cookie. Bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks.

ALMOND CARAMEL THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
• Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with the paddle attachment-the one that looks like the peace sign-and beat until creamy and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks and almond extract and beat for another minute or so, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped almonds.
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. When combined, the dough should be soft and homogeneous. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
• When you're ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge and roll it into 3/4-inch balls. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on a prepared baking sheet. Using the tip of your thumb, make a hole as deep as you can in each doughball without actually poking through the bottom. Roll your thumb around a little bit to widen the hole-this is your thumbprint!
• Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes or until they begin to turn golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool. While the cookies are cooling, repoke each one with your thumb to create a really nice spot for the caramel. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• For the caramel: In a medium saute pan, combine the sugar, lemon juice, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Bring the pan to medium-high heat. Be careful not to swish the pan around as that can cause the sugar to recrystallize. As the mixture boils, the water will evaporate and the sugar will begin to turn brown, or "caramelize." This is the point when you DO NOT want to take your eyes off it! Things can take a turn for the worse here and there will be no recovery. As the sugar begins to turn gold and move toward golden brown, remove it from the heat and add the heavy cream. As you do this it will bubble up like crazy. Be sure to use a pan large enough to accommodate the bubbling-this stuff is molten and can cause a very severe burn. Whisk the cream until things settle down and the bubbles subside, then add the butter 2 pats at a time, making sure each addition is thoroughly incorporated before adding more.
• Let the caramel cool slightly, then spoon it into the hole of each cookie and let cool. You'll most likely have leftover caramel sauce, so save it for something yummy-like pouring over vanilla ice cream!

RASPBERRY THUMBPRINT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, salt and vanilla in a large bowl until combined; fold in the coconut.
• Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of the coconut mixture about 1 inch apart onto the baking sheet. Use your fingers to form into pyramids; bake 10 minutes. Make an indentation in each cookie using the back of a teaspoon; fill each with the raspberry jam, then continue baking until golden brown around the edges, 10 to 15 more minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

ALMOND THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. (Be careful not to grind to a paste.) Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter, egg, and extracts until combined well. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about 30 minutes.
• While dough chills, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Drop level tablespoons of dough 1 inch apart onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. Roll dough into balls, then chill until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Make a 1/2-inch-wide (1/3-inch-deep) indentation in center of each ball using your thumb, index finger, or the rounded end of a wooden spoon. Fill each indentation with 1/4 teaspoon jam and bake, 1 sheet at a time, until tops are pale golden and undersides are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack and cool completely.

SIMPLEST ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place almond paste and sugar in food processor or mixing bowl. Mix or process until thoroughly combined. Add egg whites and mix until smooth dough forms.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets, about 1 inch apart and bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely on baking sheets.
• Peel macaroons from paper when completely cool and store in an airtight container.

ALMOND JOY COOKIES (CHOCOLATE MACAROON THUMBPRINT)

Steps:

• Beat butter, sugar and salt.
• Add cocoa, melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Add eggs and beat until creamy.
• Slowly add flour and blend only until combined.
• Chill in refrigerator several hours.
• Meanwhile combine macaroon ingredients by hand in a small bowl.
• Form dough into balls using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon and drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Flatten each ball with your thumb, leaving a depression in the center of each.
• Fill each depression with 1 tsp of macaroon.
• Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes, until cookies no longer look wet on top.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• When cookies are cool.
• Melt chocolate for drizzle.
• Add shortening and stir well.
• Drizzle over cookies.

MOCHA-WALNUT MACARONS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 275°. Place confectioners' sugar, walnuts, cocoa and coffee in a food processor; process until finely ground and set aside., Add salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks. Gradually add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Carefully fold in walnut mixture until blended., Pipe or drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 1 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Air dry for 30 minutes before baking. Bake 18-20 minutes. Remove macaroons from baking sheet to a wire rack; cool completely. Remove from parchment; store in an airtight container.