Maraschino Cherry Almond Cookies Food

TRADITIONAL SICILIAN ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• First of all, sift the powdered sugar, then mix the sugar with the almond flour in a large bowl.
• After that, add the grated zests of half lemon and half orange into the bowl, 3 drops of vanilla extract. Finally, mix all the ingredients with the whites of 3 large eggs lightly beaten.
• Work the dough until it is compact and homogeneous, then pour it into a pastry bag provided with a large decorating tip.
• Place the pastry bag into the refrigerator 20 minutes.
• Line a drip pan with parchment paper. With the pastry bag, form cookies about 2 inches wide right on the parchment paper, adding half Maraschino Cherry on the top of each cookie.
• Then, put the drip pan in the fridge for at least 8 hours (it's easy to prepare the almond cookies the night before for the following day!).
• The resting in the fridge is critical because the cookies don't sag while cooking.
• When the almond cookies are ready to be cooked, set the oven to 350° F and bake the cookies by taking them directly from the fridge. Bake the cookies 10-15 minutes, turning the dripping pan halfway through cooking, until they are golden brown.
• After that, operate the broil a few minutes, until the cookies are golden! The almond cookies should be crispy outside and soft inside.
• Finally, serve the almond cookies with a good tea, coffee or a glass of Italian Marsala wine.

CHERRY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Cut the cherries into quarters and set aside.
• In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the butter until it's smooth and creamy.
• Add the sugar, vanilla, almond extract, maraschino cherry juice, and mix until smooth.
• Add the flour, and mix until completely blended. Remove the mixing bowl, and gently fold in the chopped cherries, until blended.
• Place the dough on a large piece of parchment paper, and place the dough in the refrigerator for three hours.
• After three hours, remove the dough from the refrigerator, and place a piece parchment paper, or a silpat mat on a cookie sheet, and set aside.
• Form a tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a ball, and place on the lined cookie sheet.
• Continue until all cookies have been rolled.
• Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cookie sheet, and bake the cookies in a 350 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom and around the edges.
• The cookies will spread a little, but shouldn't spread thin, so make sure you chill them according to directions.
• If you don't chill the dough, the cookies won't bake correctly. Once the cookies are baked, remove them from the oven, and leave them on the cookie sheet to cool, for 10 minutes. Then remove to a wire rack.
• When cookies are completely cool, melt the white chocolate in the microwave, on 10 second intervals until it's smooth. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

MARASCHINO CHERRY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Place the butter in a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 2/3 cup of confectioners' sugar, then add almond extract, eggs, and salt, and beat until the mixture is fluffy and well combined, about 3 more minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium, and gradually beat in flour until the dough is smooth, about 1 minute. Gently stir in the maraschino cherries.
• Form the dough into 2 logs about 1 inch in diameter, roll each log in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut each dough log into about 25 slices about 1/2-inch thick, and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set but not browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove to cooling racks to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• To make icing, beat egg whites with lemon juice until frothy, about 1 minute, then beat in vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar, a cupful at a time, until the icing is smooth and spreadable. Spread about 1 teaspoon of icing on each cooled cookie, and let the icing harden before stacking.

MARASCHINO CHERRY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Place the butter in a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 2/3 cup of confectioners' sugar, then add almond extract, eggs, and salt, and beat until the mixture is fluffy and well combined, about 3 more minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium, and gradually beat in flour until the dough is smooth, about 1 minute. Gently stir in the maraschino cherries.
• Form the dough into 2 logs about 1 inch in diameter, roll each log in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut each dough log into about 25 slices about 1/2-inch thick, and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between each cookie.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set but not browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove to cooling racks to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• To make icing, beat egg whites with lemon juice until frothy, about 1 minute, then beat in vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar, a cupful at a time, until the icing is smooth and spreadable. Spread about 1 teaspoon of icing on each cooled cookie, and let the icing harden before stacking.

AMARETTI

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325'F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• 2. Break almond paste into small pieces and place into food processor or mixer. Add sugar and mix well. Add the egg whites and mix until moist, about 2-3 minutes.
• 3. Pipe using a large star tip into rounded swirls about 2 inches in diameter or roll into a ball and gently press down a little and top with half of a maraschino cherry, almond or espresso coffee beans. Cookies should be at least 1 inch apart.
• 4. Bake 20 minutes on middle shelf, move to upper shelf, (about 4" above middle shelf); for approximately 8 minutes until light golden brown. Move parchment paper with cookies onto baking racks to cool. When completely cool carefully peel macaroons off paper. Store in airtight container. Buon Appetito!

CHERRY ALMOND CHEWS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in coconut and nuts if desired. , Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Place a cherry half in the center of each. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.