Big Almond Orange Ginger Cookie Food

ITALIAN ALMOND-ORANGE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix egg whites, sugar, orange zest and honey with a whisk until smooth.
• Add the almond flour and baking powder and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until moist and all of the dry ingredients are absorbed into the wet and combined.
• Cover and refrigerate for one hour and as long as 24 hours. I made my dough the night before then baked the next morning.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees F with two racks in top two positions.
• Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
• Roll the dough on your counter with your hands into a fat log and cut it into two equal pieces.
• Roll each piece out into logs and cut in half then each piece in half again. Then cut each piece into three. This will give you 24 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a ball then roll in the powdered sugar then onto the cookie sheets, 12 per tray.
• Bake both together for 15-17 minutes, rotating the pans half way through.
• The cookies are done when they start to crackle and flatten out and are slightly browned on the bottom. The centers will be very soft so don't go by the feel of the cookie and don't lift off the cookie sheet yet.
• As they cool on the cookie sheet, they stiffen up and have a crisp outside and a chewy center.
• Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH ORANGE-ALMOND ESSENCE

Steps:

• For the cookies: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is airy and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Beat in the egg. Add the almond extract and orange zest and beat to combine.
• Add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and turn the mixer on low. Allow to mix until the mixture comes together, about 1 minute.
• Form the mixture into 2 separate discs about 1-inch thick. Wrap each disc in plastic and store flat in the fridge for about 4 hours or up to overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
• Roll out each disc between 2 sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut each into shapes and place on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the baking sheets and switching their positions halfway through, until the centers are barely set, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets on a rack.
• For the icing: Combine the powdered sugar and butter in a bowl and stir together with the lemon juice and half the milk. Add more milk as needed to achieve a pipeable consistency. Tint with food colorings as desired. Transfer to piping bags.
• Decorate each cookie as desired. Let set completely, about 30 minutes.

ALMOND ORANGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenhet.
• Whisk the shortening in a large bowl until light and aerated. Use an electric mixer if possible.
• Gradually beat in the granulated sugar.
• Grate the rind of the orange onto a plate and squeeze juice into a cup. Be careful to remove any seeds from the juice.
• Whisk the eggs, orange rind and orange juice into the shortening mixture and continue for 3 to minutes after combined.
• Sift flour together with baking powder in a separate bowl.
• Stir the flour mixture and almonds into the shortening mixture until it forms a dough.
• Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out the dough until it's about 1/2-inch thick.
• Use a round cookie cutter to cut out 36 round cookies and place them on baking sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F until golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool and firm on baking sheets for about 10 minutes.
• Mix confectioner's sugar with cinnamon and sift this mixture evenly over the baked cookies as they cool.

GINGER ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Combine the ginger and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the arbol chile and cook, stirring frequently, until the chile begins to give off an aroma, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently until lightly toasted, approximately 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce and cook until reduced slightly and the pan looks dry, approximately 1 minute. Immediately remove the nuts to the large bowl and toss with the ginger mixture.
• Spread the coated nuts into a single layer on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pan to a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes or until completely cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

ORANGE-SCENTED ALMOND COOKIES: AMYGDALOTA ME ORANGE

Steps:

• Grind the almonds in a food processor until ground fine. Add in 2 1/2 cups of sugar. Put the almond mixture into a small saucepan on medium high heat. Add in the liquids and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Put aside to cool.
• Once cool, shape tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture into 1 1/2-inch-high pear shapes, wetting your fingers with the juice. Dredge each cookie in confectioners or granulated sugar to coat. Wrap individually in cellophane or place in a box with a lid. Let stand for at least 3 days before serving.

GINGER AND ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the pan with baking parchment, letting the parchment hang over the sides. (This will make it easier to remove the dessert once baked.)
• Prepare the base:
• In the saucepan, melt the butter. Add the almond meal, fresh ginger, honey, egg, salt, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. The mixture should be thick and sticky.
• Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan. To help make a level and even base, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the base. Using a flat-bottomed glass (or your fingers), smooth out the base by pressing gently to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Bake until the base is slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the topping:
• In the same saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the almonds, candied ginger, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated.
• When the base is baked, spread the topping evenly over the base and bake until the topping is dark and sizzling, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not underbake.
• Transfer the pan to the baking rack to cool. When the dessert is completely cool, remove it from the pan using the overhanging parchment as handles and cut it into 16 even squares.
• Do Ahead
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Variation:
• Chestnut Honey Squares: For the base, replace 1 cup (90g) almond meal with 3/4 cup (120 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour and use a strong honey, such as chestnut, in place of the mild honey. For the topping, replace the candied ginger with organic candied orange or lemon peel, cut into tiny cubes.

ALMOND GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream shortening, 1/2 cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in ginger., Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in remaining sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Press an almond slice into center of each cookie., Bake until edges are lightly browned, 9-11 minutes. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

ORANGE-ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400. In medium bowl, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 1/2 t. orange peel and 1 t. almond extract with mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in flour, salt and almonds until well blended.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 1 inch apart. Bake 7-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir all glaze ingredients, adding enough water to make a pouring consistency. In another small bowl, mix topping ingredients. Dip tops of cookies in glaze, then sprinkle with topping. Place cookies in miniature paper baking cups if desired.