Ukrainian Almond Crescents Food

ALMOND CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray several cookie sheets with cooking spray.
• With a mixer, beat the butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla extract and almond extract, beat until incorporated.
• Stir in the flour and almonds. Work flour mixture into a firm dough.
• Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, lightly roll and then shape it so the middle is thicker than both ends. Bend dough log into a crescent shape.
• Place on greased cookie sheets and repeat until all dough is used.
• Bake 12-15 minutes or until light brown.
• Sift powdered sugar into a small shallow bowl.
• While the cookies are still warm , roll the crescents in the powdered sugar.
• Cool on racks.

UKRAINIAN ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Pastry: For the pastry, mix together the flour and yeast in a medium bowl.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Stir in the egg yolks and sour cream and mix well.
• The mixture will still be crumbly.
• Form the dough into a ball using your hands, working it as little as possible.
• The less you knead, the more tender the pastry will be.
• The dough will be tacky.
• Wrap it in waxed paper and chill it for at least 2 hours.
• Prepare the FILLING by combining the ground almonds and sugar in a small bowl.
• Beat together the egg whites and salt until stiff, but not dry, and carefully fold them into the nut mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• When the dough is thoroughly chilled, divide it into three balls.
• Using a floured rolling pin, roll out three circles about 1/8" thick.
• Work on a well-floured surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
• Cut each circle into eight pie-shaped wedges and spread the wedges with the filling.
• Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge up like a little croissant and then pull the ends into a curve to form a"horn.
• "Make sure the point is on the bottom so the"horns" will not open up while baking.
• Place the almond crescents on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for about 30- 40 min, until golden and puffed.

VANILLA ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, ground almonds, granulated sugar, vanilla sugar or extract, (which ever one you used).
• Add cut up butter with a pastry cutter, fork or clean hands.
• Mix to form a dough, if dough is too soft, chill for about 20 or 30 minutes.
• In a 9 X13 casserole dish, Sift together the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar for coating. Spread it out covering the entire bottom of casserole dish. Set this aside.
• Pinch the dough and roll to make small crescents (or balls). Crescents should end up to be about 1-2 inches long when placed on pan, or balls about 1-1 1/2 inches in diameter. you can place these pretty close together as they do not rise or grow like most cookies.
• Place your formed dough on an UNGREASED cookie sheet.
• Place in oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until they become a light golden brown on the bottom. Their color doesn't change alot unless they get burnt.
• Cool pan on a rack for about 1 or 2 minutes then CAREFULLY place them in the powdered sugar in the casserole dish with the spatula. coat them well, but be extremely careful, as these cookies are very fragile.
• Place them on a plate or platter after coating to let them cool completely, then place in an air tight container.
• To Make Vanilla Sugar with a vanilla bean: 1 Vanilla Bean,1 Quart Mason Jar, Granulated Sugar.
• Fill Jar with granulated sugar, Crack vanilla bean, scraping the seeds into the sugar, then place the bean in the sugar. Place the lid on the jar and store for about 2 weeks.
• To Make Vanilla Sugar with Pure vanilla extract: 1 TBSP Pure vanilla extract, 1 c granulated sugar.
• Spread granualted sugar on a small flat surface (waxed paper beneath it) pour vanilla extract over top, and mix well. Spread it out once you have it well blended to let it dry out, then, mix with enough sugar to fill the Mason jar and place the lid on, shake it up, and its ready to use.

SHASHLYK

Steps:

• In a large bowl arrange a layer meat, then onion, 2 bay leaves and some peppercorns. Continue with the rest ingredients.
• Stir in the vinegar. The meat must be all covered up with the vinegar. Put the lid or cover with foil and put it into the fridge overnight.
• Next day drain the meat. Arrange the meat cubes on a skewer.
• Broil or grill until done (20 minutes).

MARTHA STEWART'S ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Cream the butter and the 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts, then add the almonds. Stir in the flour and beat until well mixed.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Divide the dough in half into a roll one inch in diameter. Cut each roll into 3/4 inch slices, roll each slice into a cylinder 2 inches long, place 1 to 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and form into a crescent shape.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool, then roll in confectioner's sugar until coated.