Orange Scented Almond Cookies Amygdalota Me Orange Food

ORANGE SCENTED BOMBOLONI WITH PASTRY CREAM AND CHOCOLATE ORANGE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For the pastry cream: Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and eggs in a small bowl until pale. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, and then return the mixture to the pan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the liqueur and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, vanilla and orange zest. Cover with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Just before using, fold in the whipped cream until combined. Keep cold.
• For the bomboloni: Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the flour, the water, honey and yeast in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and mix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until foamy, about 1 hour.
• Return the bowl to the mixer, fitted with a dough hook. Add the remaining flour, along with the milk, granulated sugar, salt and egg yolks. Mix at low speed until blended, and then add the butter. Knead at medium speed until silky but sticky, about 5 minutes. Keep in mind that the dough will not pull away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl using an oiled spatula and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. The dough will not rise.
• For the dipping sauce: Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Add the hot cream and let sit for 1 minute. Gently whisk until smooth; stir in the orange liqueur and vanilla extract. Keep warm.
• For frying: Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan to 360 degrees F. Line a wire rack with paper towels. Fill a shallow bowl with 1/2 inch granulated sugar. Roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface to a scant 1/2-inch thick. Stamp out 32 rounds using a 1/2-inch-round biscuit cutter; do not re-roll the dough. Fry the rounds, 8 at a time, until they are browned, about 4 minutes. Be sure to keep the oil between 360 degrees F and 375 degrees F. Transfer the bomboloni to paper towels to drain the excess oil, then roll them in the granulated sugar. Continue frying and rolling the remaining bomboloni.
• Fit a pastry bag with a 1/4-inch plain tip and fill with the pastry cream. Gently push the tip three-fourths of the way into the bomboloni and squeeze in the cream, pulling the tip out slightly as you squeeze to fill them as much as possible. Serve warm. Dip into the chocolate-orange sauce and dust with confectioners' sugar.

ORANGE-SCENTED ALMOND COOKIES: AMYGDALOTA ME ORANGE

Steps:

• Grind the almonds in a food processor until ground fine. Add in 2 1/2 cups of sugar. Put the almond mixture into a small saucepan on medium high heat. Add in the liquids and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Put aside to cool.
• Once cool, shape tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture into 1 1/2-inch-high pear shapes, wetting your fingers with the juice. Dredge each cookie in confectioners or granulated sugar to coat. Wrap individually in cellophane or place in a box with a lid. Let stand for at least 3 days before serving.

CRUNCHY ORANGE-ALMOND COOKIES (N'ZUDDI)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Let cool.
• Set aside 36 almonds. Grind the remaining almonds to a coarse powder in a food processor or in small batches in a coffee grinder. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and sift in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
• In a large mixing bowl, with a wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugar until blended. Beat the egg, then beat in the orange zest, juice, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the flour-almond mixture.
• Pinch off a tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into a ball between the palms of your hands, and place 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten the balls to 1/2 inch thick under your palms, then gently coax the edges inward to create a loose square shape. Press a whole almond in the center of each cookie.
• Bake the cookies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans, then cool on a rack. The cookies will become very crunchy as they cool.

ORANGE-SCENTED ALMOND AND OLIVE OIL MUFFINS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 18 muffin cup pan with paper liners. Set aside.
• Using a hand mixer on medium speed, in a medium bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in the orange juice, olive oil, yogurt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange zest.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.
• In batches, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just blended. Stir in the almonds. Fill the cups with batter, 1/3 of the way full. Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

ORANGE-SCENTED ALMOND AND OLIVE OIL MUFFINS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Using a hand mixer on medium speed, in a medium bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in the orange zest and juice, olive oil, yogurt, vanilla, and almond extract.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and almond flours, baking powder, and salt.
• In batches, stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just blended. Stir in the almonds. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

ORANGE-SCENTED CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment, butter again and dust the whole pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Put the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add the granulated sugar and orange zest and pulse a few times to combine evenly. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, with some pea-size bits of butter.
• Whisk the milk, vanilla and eggs together in a small bowl or measuring cup with a spout. With the processor running, pour in the milk mixture and process until smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans and invert the cakes onto the rack. Peel off the parchment and cool completely.
• Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners? sugar, vanilla and salt and gradually increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. With the mixer running on low beat in the cream and then continue beating until the frosting is creamy and thick, about 1 more minute.
• Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate, and spread 1 cup of the frosting over the top. Top with the other cake layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.