Chocolate Amaretti Peaches Food

BAKED AMARETTI AND CHOCOLATE STUFFED PEACHES

Steps:

• Carefully wash the peaches and cut each peach in half, starting along the crease of the peach and running your small paring knife all the way around. Twist the two halves to release one side from the pit and then use the tip of a knife or fork to pry the pit out from the remaining side;
• Scoop out some flesh and place it into a bowl;
• Dilute the liqueur with some water and pour it over the peaches: let them marinate for 10 minutes;
• Mix until well combined and then add the coarsely grated chocolate;
• Drain the peach halves from the marinade; lay them cut side up in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Spoon the filling into the peach cavities;
• Sprinkle the peaches with brown sugar;
• Pre-heat a static oven to 350°F (180°C). Cover the peaches with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5-10 minutes more until golden and crispy.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust oven racks in the upper-third and lower-third positions. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Break the almond paste into small pieces and add it to the bowl of a food processer along with the sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Process until the almond paste is very finely chopped and well incorporated with the salt and sugar. Add the egg whites and vanilla, and process until a smooth dough forms, about 30 seconds. With a small scoop or spoon, dollop the batter onto the baking sheets, 1 tablespoon at a time, spaced 2 inches apart. Top each cookie with a few almond slivers and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• Bake until the cookies have risen and cracked slightly but are still soft in the center, 13 to 14 minutes; rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan the nonstick spray. Refrigerate. Microwave the chocolate until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds, for about 1 minute.
• Combine the almonds and cookies in processor. Pulse until the almonds and cookies are finely ground. Transfer the nut mixture to a medium bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Add the grated orange peel and pulse briefly, until incorporated. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Blend until the eggs are incorporated. Clean the sides of the mixing bowl and blend again. Add the nut mixture and melted chocolate. Pulse until blended. Clean the sides of the bowl. Blend again.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center puffs and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a platter. Sift the cocoa powder over and serve.

GRILLED PEACHES WITH AMARETTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a grill with a single layer of charcoal. When the coals are hot, brush the grill with a little oil to make sure the peaches don't stick. Place the peaches, cut side down, on the grill and cook for a few minutes, until they're slightly charred.
• Place the peaches in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle each half with a little vanilla sugar. Combine the rum and amaretto and drizzle 1/2 of it on the peaches. Bake the peaches for about 10 minutes, until they're very tender. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold with crumbled amaretti cookies on top or with the cookies on the side. I like to serve them with a dollop of creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.
• Vanilla Sugar:
• Find a jar tall enough to hold 2 vanilla beans. Fill the bottle with sugar and cover tightly. Store on a pantry shelf. After about 3 months you will have a wonderful ingredient for cooking and baking. Keep adding vanilla beans and sugar to the jar and you will have it for years.

CHOCOLATE AMARETTI PEACHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Combine crushed Amaretti cookies, chocolate, orange zest, honey & cinnamon in a bowl. Add the beaten egg white & mix to bind the mixture.
• Halve & pit the peaches & fill the cavities w/sml mounds of the chocolate mixture.
• Arrange the stuffed peaches in a lightly buttered, shallow ovenproof dish which will just hold the peaches comfortably.
• Mix the wine & sugar in a measuring cup & stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour the wine mixture around the peaches.
• Bake for 30-40 min till the peaches are tender when tested w/a skewer & the filling is golden. Serve immediately w/a little of the cooking juices spooned over the top & whipped cream in a separate bowl as an optional garnish.

PEACH AND AMARETTI CRISP

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below to catch drippings. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• To make the filling:
• Mix the peach slices with the granulated sugar, flour, and vanilla or almond extract. Transfer the peaches to a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
• To make the topping:
• In a food processor, pulse together the flour, the brown and granulated sugars, amaretti, and cinnamon until the amaretti are in very small bits. Add the almonds and pulse until the nuts are in small pieces.
• Add the pieces of butter and pulse until the butter is finely broken up.Continue to pulse until the topping no longer looks sandy and is just beginning to hold together.
• Distribute the amaretti topping evenly over the peaches and bake the crisp for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and a knife inserted into the center pierces the fruit easily.
• Serving:
• Serve warm with a cold pitcher of heavy cream or with vanilla ice cream.
• Variation:
• For a berry crisp, toss 6 to 8 cups mixed berries (quartered strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries) with 1/3 cup sugar, 2tablespoons flour, and a squirt of lemon juice. Cover with just enough topping to hide the fruit and freeze the rest.