Scandinavian Style Almond Paste Food

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.

DANISH ALMOND KRINGLE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and milk. Let stand until the yeast dissolves and begins to foam, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cardamom. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Fold in the yeast mixture just until the dough is moistened. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, pound the dough until flattened to a 2-inch thickness, then roll the dough out into a 24-inch square.
• To prepare the filling, blend the almond paste, almonds, sugar, cinnamon, and almond extract together. Spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edges of the square, and roll the dough up as tightly as possible.
• Sprinkle the sugar for the topping on the work surface. Roll the dough firmly into the sugar to coat it well, and, at the same time, stretch it to form a log of dough 36 to 40 inches long.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the roll on the paper in the shape of a pretzel. Brush the surface with the egg white and sprinkle with the almonds. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, or until puffy but not doubled.
• Position the oven racks so that they are evenly spaced. Preheat the oven to convection bake at 300°F. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and almond extract; mix until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces, and roll each one into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs per cookie sheet 4 to 5 inches apart. Flatten each roll by hand until it is about 3 inches wide. Brush flattened roll with milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal, into slices about 1 inch wide. When cool, drizzle with almond icing.
• Almond icing: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a loaf pan with wax paper, then spray with cooking spray.
• Place the butter into a heavy saucepan, and melt over medium heat. Allow the butter to simmer until foam rises to the top of the butter, 5 to 10 minutes. Gently skim away the foam and discard; pour the golden, clear layer of butter through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove remaining milk solids, avoiding pouring any milk solids left in the bottom of the pan. Allow the clarified butter to cool.
• Beat sugar and egg with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the baking powder and almond extract. Stir in the clarified butter. Pour in the flour alternately with the cream in 2 or 3 installments, mixing until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl beat margarine or butter till softened.
• Add sugar and beat till fluffy.
• Add egg and the 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and beat well.
• Add the flour mixture and beat till well mixed.
• Divide the dough into fourths, form each portion into a 12 inch roll.
• Place 2 of the rolls 4 to 5-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Flatten each roll till it is about 3 inches wide.
• Repeat with the remaining rolls.
• Brush each flattened roll with milk and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of almonds each.
• Bake in a 325° oven for 12-14 minutes or till edges are lightly brown.
• While still warm, cut crosswise on the diagonal into 1 inch strips.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Stir together the powdered sugar, the almond extract and enough of the 3-4 teaspoons of milk to make a drizzling consistency.
• Drizzle over the cool bars.