Dried Cherry Almond Cookies Food

DRIED CHERRY BISCOTTI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg whites and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture. Stir in cherries and almonds (dough will be stiff). , Press into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan to a cutting board; cut biscotti in half with a serrated knife. Cut each half into 1/2-in. slices. , Place slices cut side down on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown, turning once. Remove to wire racks to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND COOKIES WITH VANILLA ICING

Steps:

• FOR THE COOKIES: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).
• Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.
• FOR THE ICING: Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.).
• Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.
• Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.
• Cook's Note Alternative: Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.

DRIED CHERRY-ALMOND FILLED COOKIES

Steps:

• Dough: Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until light.
• Add sugar, salt and vanilla until moistened. With mixer on low, add flour and mix until combined.
• Dump dough onto well-floured board and roll into a ball. Divide ball into quarters, wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
• Filling: Soak cherries in a combination of Amaretto and white grape juice for several hours (in a pinch, heat on low until liquid is hot but do not boil, then add cherries and soak at least 20 minutes - allow to cool before using).
• Place cherry mixture, almond extract, sugar and almonds in food processor, fitted with metal blade. Pulse/process until ingredients form a grainy paste (if necessary add a little more liquid). Scrape sides down once during processing.
• Roll out each dough ball to a uniform thickness of about 1/8 inch. Cut into 2 inch circles and place on parchment covered cookie sheets. Place a level measuring teaspoon of filling in center of each round. Pull over to fold in half (forming a half moon) and press edges gently together to form a seal.
• If desired, brush each cookie with an egg wash of 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon milk just before baking.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time on center rack of preheated 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes or until bottom edge becomes golden. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely.

CHERRY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine oat flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add butter; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in egg and soy milk. Mix in baking powder and cinnamon; dough should be the consistency of soft cookie dough. Fold in cherries and 1/2 cup almonds.
• Drop cookie dough onto the prepared sheet in 2-tablespoon portions, leaving a few inches between each cookie. Sprinkle remaining slivered almonds on top of each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cookies comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

DRIED CHERRY AND ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, fold in the almonds and dried cherries.
• Divide the dough in half and roll the dough into 2 logs. If the dough is sticky, dust with a little flour. Roll the logs to the length of a sheet pan. Beat the egg white with a splash of water. Brush the logs with the egg white and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Transfer to a sheet pan and place at least 3 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven let cool for 10 minutes. Remove logs to a cutting board and slice on the bias about 3/4 inch thick. Lay the biscotti back on the sheet pan and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. This will harden the biscotti. Cool completely on a rack.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Dip each biscotti or pretzel in the chocolate to cover half of each and then dip in the sprinkles or candy cane pieces. Set each piece on the lined cookie sheet to allow the chocolate to harden. Store in a cool place in air-tight containers. Try not to eat them all at the same time.
• Bring a saucepan with 1-inch of water in it to a boil. Put the chocolate in a large metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with boiling water. Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water. Stir the chocolate until it is almost completely melted. Remove it from the saucepan and continue stir until the chocolate is completely melted. This entire process should take no more than 5 to 10 minutes.

CHERRY ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Stir dried cherries and amaretto liqueur together in a saucepan over medium heat until the amaretto comes to a simmer; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the liquid for later use.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Beat butter with 1 cup sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat 3 eggs into butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, blending in each egg before adding the next. Stir reserved cherry liquid and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients.
• Beat butter with 1 cup sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat 3 eggs into butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, blending in each egg before adding the next. Stir reserved cherry liquid and vanilla extract into the wet ingredients.
• Stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients a little at a time to form a smooth dough. Gently fold cherries and almonds into dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, divide in half, and form each half into a log 12 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Gently press the logs with your fingers to flatten to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Transfer loaves to the prepared baking sheets, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle each with 1 1/2 tablespoon white sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the loaves are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer loaves to wire racks and cool for 20 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice each loaf on the diagonal into 16 pieces. Transfer the biscotti to baking sheets. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Bake in the oven for 8 minutes; flip biscotti and bake until crisp and lightly browned, about 8 more minutes.

CHEF ANNE'S DRIED CHERRY & ALMOND BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and granulated sugar and mix, scraping down the sides as needed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 whole eggs one at a time, stirring to combine thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla.
• Gently mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Stir until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Fold in the almonds and cherries.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two logs, about the length of the baking sheet, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the logs with the egg wash, sprinkle them with the turbinado sugar, and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the logs from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and use a serrated knife to cut them into 1/2-inch slices-on the bias-while they are still warm (slicing them while warm will prevent crumbling). Keep the ends to nibble on while the other biscotti are baking.
• Lay the biscotti back on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes to toast and harden.
• Let the biscotti cool and store in an airtight container.

OATMEAL AND DRIED CHERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper;set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat to incorporate. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed to combine. Stir in the oats and dried cherries.
• Using a 2-ounce scoop, drop the dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 6 inches between cookies. Bake until edges are just turning brown, about 20 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.