Cinnamon Amaretti Food

AMARETTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, grind the almonds into a fine meal. Add the sugar and continue to process for another 15 seconds. Finally, add egg whites and almond extract, continue to process until a smooth dough forms around the blade.
• Using a teaspoon, place well rounded spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Cookies should be at least 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Cookies should be golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on the paper before removing. Store in a dry place.

CHOCOLATE-AMARETTI TORTES

Steps:

• For tortes:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Line bottom of cups with parchment paper rounds. Place on rimmed baking sheet.
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Using on/off turns, blend almonds, amaretti, cinnamon, and salt in processor until finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl. Add butter, sugar, and eggs to processor; mix until blended and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 3 minutes. Add cookie mixture and melted chocolate. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Divide batter among custard cups. Bake until tops of tortes are dry and puffed and tester inserted into centers comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Transfer cups to rack; cool 15 minutes. Run small knife around edges of cups to release tortes. Turn tortes out onto rack and turn right side up; cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• For topping:
• Beat together cream, sugar, and almond extract in medium bowl until cream holds peaks. (Can be made 4 hours ahead; refrigerate.)
• Place 1 torte on each of 4 plates. Top with dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle with crumbled amaretti, and serve.

AMARETTI AND ALMOND PARFAIT

Steps:

• For amaretti, preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Sift flour, cornstarch, cinnamon and 1/3 cup of sugar and lemon zest over ground almonds and toss to blend.
• In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until foamy, then gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Whip until whites hold a stiff peak.
• Stir in almond mixture and add almond extract.
• Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, wetting your hands with cool water to prevent sticking. Sift icing sugar over cookies and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container.
• For almond cream, stir mascarpone, sour cream and brown sugar together to dissolve sugar.
• Stir in extracts.
• Whip cream until a soft peak forms and fold into mascarpone/sour cream mixture.
• Chill until ready to assemble.
• For cherries, toss cherries with Kirsch and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.
• To assemble, place one amaretti cookie on a plate.
• Add a dollop of almond cream.
• Top with another amaretti cookie.
• Top with another dollop of almond cream, a sprinkle of toasted almonds and then a spoonful of cherries.

TRUE AMARETTI

Steps:

• Beat egg whites with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until foamy. Gradually add sugar and almond extract, continuing to beat until very stiff peaks form. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix in almond meal until dough comes together.
• Cover cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 3 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Pour confectioners' sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll cookie dough into small balls and coat with confectioners' sugar. Arrange on the baking sheets.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until lightly browned and firm, 10 to 15 minutes.

CINNAMON AMARETTI

Steps:

• Beat egg white and salt slightly with a hand held mixer. Add caster sugar and beat until creamy and semi-stiff.
• Add cinnamon, Amaretto liqueur and finely grounded almonds and mix using the dough hook. The dough will be firm and sticky.
• Line baking tray with parchment paper.
• Fill the dough into an icing back and pipe little spots of about 1 inch in diameter and about 1 inch in height onto the baking paper at intervals of about 1.5 inches.
• Let the little dough spots dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour (but no longer than 2 hours). The dough should be dry outside and not sticky anymore when you touch it.
• Meanwhile preheat oven (300 F, 150 C).
• Bake the Amaretti in lower third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. They should be lightly browned.
• Let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
• Meanwhile melt semisweet chocolate. Put chocolate into a small bowl and let the chocolate melt over hot water.
• Dip the bottom of the Amaretti into the melted chocolate and strip off excess chocolate at the rim of bowl.
• Place Amaretti bottom up on a cooling rack until chocolate is dry.
• Store the cinnamon amaretti between layers of parchment papers in air tight container. You can store them dry at room temperature for about 4 weeks (if they get that old).
• NOTE: Time to make includes 2 hours to dry the cookies at room temperature. Cooking time is given for one baking tray.