Amygdalota Greek Almond Cookies Food

GREEK ALMOND COOKIES (AMYGDALOTA)

Steps:

• Set the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line (2) baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine the almond flour, sugar, orange zest and salt in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the beaten egg whites until the dough is wet and paste-like.
• Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop the dough into tablespoon size balls and roll in the sliced almonds (this is easier to do if you break up some of the almonds into small pieces with your fingers). Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and flatten them a bit as they won't spread.
• Bake both trays in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, rotating the pans from top to bottom halfway through baking, for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set.
• Remove from heat and cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks. Serve and enjoy!

GREEK ALMOND MACAROON COOKIES (AMYGDALOTA)

Steps:

• Cut almond paste into 1/2 inch pieces.
• In an electric mixer with a paddle, mix the almond paste for a few minutes and then slowly add the confectioner sugar.
• With the mixer still on add the rose water, continuing to mix until you have a thick dough. Then slowly add the egg whites one at a time until mixture is loose enough to pipe out a pastry bag but not soupy (the consistency of a brownie batter). Depending on the humidity, you will need more or less egg whites.
• Put mixture into pastry bag and pipe onto a non stick cookie sheet, making small cookies.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

AMIGDALOTA - ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• In a bowl combine eggs, 2 cups of sugar and almond extract and mix for 2-3 minutes.
• Fold in the ground almonds. The mixture will be quite moist and sticky.
• Shape into round balls (1 1/2" in diameter).
• Place the remaining cup of sugar on a separate plate and roll the balls in the sugar.
• Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper and place cookies on the baking tray.
• Place one whole almond on top of cookie and press gently.
• Bake for 12 minutes at 275 degrees F.
• Allow to cool and place in an airtight container as the cookies should remain chewy and not dry and crunchy.

AMYGDALOTA (Αμυγδαλωτά)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a medium sized bowl whisk to combine the almond flour with the salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using the hand held mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk together 3 of the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Next add the almond extract and the superfine sugar to the whisked egg whites and beat until well combined and your mixture appears glossy.
• Fold in the almond flour using a rubber spatula. Your dough will be stiff at this point but mix well until you end up with a uniform batter.
• Add in the last 2 egg whites and beat to combine using your hand held mixer. (At this point we switch to the paddle attachments of the hand held mixer).
• Attach a large star shaped piping tip to your piping bag. Fill your piping bag with the cookie batter and pipe cookies onto a parchment lined cookie tray. Leave about 1 inch between cookies and pipe your cookies so that they are about 1 inch high. If you do not have a piping bag you can simply use a tablespoon or mini ice cream scooper to form balls of cookie dough.
• Place a slivered almond on top of each cookie.
• Bake in the middle rack of your oven for between 17 - 19 minutes until golden brown on the bottom of the cookie. The baking time will depend on how you have shaped your amygdalota.
• Remove your baking tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy!