Dutch Almond Cookies Amandel Koekjes Food

GEVULDE KOEKEN (ALMOND PASTE COOKIES)

Steps:

• 1. Boil some water and add the almonds. Wait till they float to the top and take them out with a skimmer. After they cool somewhat down peel the skin of the almonds, and dry them.
• 2. To make the almond paste, add 125 almonds, 125 sugar, 1 egg to the foodprocessor and chop it up. This is enough for the cookies you are about to make.
• 3. Sift the flour add the cutup butter and sugar. You cut the butter into the flour. If you have a large food processor let the food processor do the work for you. After the butter is pretty much small lumps, knead the dough on your countertop.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350F. Roll out on a floured surface. Cut out rounds with your (preferably fluted) cutter. Put half of the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put the almond paste in a pastry bag or ziploc bag and cut the corner off. Squirt little heaps of the almond paste on the rounds. Moisten the edges of the cookie with water and press the other cookie rounds on top. Press a half almond on top of each cookie. Beat the egg and brush the cookies with it. Bake for 25 min. If they are not golden brown just put your oven on high broil that will do the trick, keep an eye on it because it takes no time to brown them.

SCANDINAVIAN STYLE ALMOND PASTE

Steps:

• If you're using blanched almonds, you can skip this step. But the almonds have to be skinless for this to work or else the skin bits make it all gross and I'd rather pay $4 for a large bag of skinned almonds than $9 for blanched when I can do it myself. Anyway, blanch your almonds by placing them in warm water for 15-30 seconds so all the skin peels off.
• Pulverize the almonds in a food processor.
• Add the sugar, butter, and almond (or vanilla) extract. Keep mixing until smooth and perfectly melded.
• Store in a glass jar or strong airtight plastic container, you can keep it at room temperature for up to 5 days and freeze for about 2-3 months. (Providing it won't magically disappear when you and your friends taste it! lol) Yields about 2 cups.
• When you want to unfreeze it-- DO NOT microwave, transfer it to the fridge to thaw for a couple hours.

DUTCH ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-in. round cookie cutter. Place half of the circles 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Crumble 1/2 teaspoon almond paste over each; top with remaining circles. Pinch edges to seal., Cut a small slit in top of each cookie. Brush with egg white. Press an almond in each slit. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.