Mocha Almond Tarts Food

ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• For the shells: Pulse together the granulated sugar, flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and continue to pulse until mealy. Add the egg yolks (reserve the egg whites for the filling) and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into a disc, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to overnight.
• To mold the shells, grease a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch-thick, dusting with more flour as needed. Cut out 3-inch circles and press them into the muffin cups so that the dough comes all the way up the sides. (No worries if the dough tears; just patch it up with additional dough.) Freeze the shells for 15 minutes.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the almond meal, granulated sugar, salt, and butter, either by blending it in the food processor (no need to clean it out after making the dough, you can just use it immediately for this step), or by stirring it together in a large bowl (I find it's easiest to get in there with my hands). Add the almond extract, egg and the reserved egg whites from the shells, and continue to blend/stir until smooth and combined.
• Fill the frozen shells with the filling so that it comes up about 1/4-inch from the top. Bake until the tops and edges are lightly browned; begin checking for doneness at 30 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then use a small offset spatula or a knife to remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: If making the glaze with heavy cream, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream and almond extract in a bowl until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar or liquid to thicken it up or thin it out so that you get the consistency of a thick glue.
• To make the glaze with the raspberries, place the raspberries in a fine-mesh sieve and give them a rinse. Place the sieve over a bowl and use a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon to smash them through the sieve into the bowl until you're just left with seeds in the sieve. Be sure to scrape the underside of the sieve to get the stuff that's sticking to it. (You should be left with about 2 tablespoons seedless puree. If it's a tiny bit more or a tiny bit less, that's fine.) Add the powdered sugar and almond extract and mix to make a thick glaze. If it's too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it out, and if it's too thin, add a few more spoonfuls of powdered sugar. It should be the consistency of a thick glue.
• Spread the glaze over the cooled tarts and decorate with sprinkles, almonds and anything else you'd like! These will keep for several days at room temperature or in the fridge.

CHOCOLATE MOCHA DUSTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Microwave chocolate chips, covered, at 50% power, stirring once or twice, until melted, 3-4 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add almonds; mix until coated., Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients. Transfer almonds to sugar mixture; toss to coat evenly. Spread over a waxed paper-lined baking sheet., Refrigerate until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

ALMOND TORTE WITH MOCHA WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180C).
• Prepare 2 8 inch (20cm) round cake pans by greasing them and lining them with waxed paper cut to fit.
• In a blender combine the eggs and sugar at high speed until smooth. Add almonds and blend until they are very finely ground. Add flour and baking powder and blend until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 350F (180C0 for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Let cakes cool (about 5 min) before removing from the pans. Let cool completely before icing.
• Optional to pour 1-2 T amaretto liqueur on bottom layer for decadence.

MOCHA-ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Mocha Frosting:.
• Dissolve instant coffee in the 1 Tbsp. milk. In a mixer bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 sec. Beat in 1 1/2c. of the powdered sugar and the melted unsweetened chocolate. Add egg yolks and the dissolved coffee crystals, beating till the mixture is well blended. Add the remaining powdered sugar and additional milk to make a fluffy frosting consistency.
• Slice the loaf cake horizontally into 3 layers. Beat together almond paste and the 3 tbsp water. Spread the bottom cake layer with 1/3c of the almond paste mixture. Top with the next cake layer and repeat layering with remaining almond paste mixture and 1/2c. of the frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle sliced almonds atop. Store cake, covered, in the fridge.

MOCHA ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, then ground almonds; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll each ball in confectioners' sugar twice, letting each sit in sugar between coatings.
• Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

TOASTED ALMOND MOCHA ICE-CREAM TART

Steps:

• Make the crust:
• In a bowl stir together with a fork the wafer crumbs, the almonds, and the butter until the mixture is combined well, pat the mixture onto the bottom and side of an oiled 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable rim, and freeze the crust for 30 minutes, or until it is firm.
• Make the filling:
• In a food processor blend the almonds, scraping down the sides occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they form a nut butter, and with the motor running add the Amaretto. Add the ice cream and the chocolate and pulse the motor 6 to 8 times, or until the filling is smooth and combine well.
• Transfer the filling to the crust, spreading it evenly. Garnish the top of the tart with the almonds and the chocolate and freeze the tart, uncovered, for 1 hour. Cover the tart with plastic wrap and freeze it overnight.