Eclectic Home and Life: Almond cookies Christmas Cookies 6

December 17th

Almond cookies and mulled wine

Christmas must literally be around the corner as somehow we are already on Cookie making number 6 during Advent. By now you may have realised that Scandinavians love there ground spices in their Kransekake
cookies and they also love using nuts most especially almonds. The below cookie is actually variation of the Norwegian Celebration cake made for special occasions, Christmas included. I shall be making mine next week, for a peep at what a Kransekake is, click here ~

Almond Cookies

MAKES ABOUT 24 ~ begin the day before you want to make the cookies

blanched almonds 100g
caster sugar 200g

After adding egg whites the mixture is quite runny

egg whites 2
homemade marzipan (see below) 500g
walnut halves 24
dried apricots 6
tempered dark chocolate 200g

For the homemade marzipan: [or you can buy good quality ready made]
blanched almonds 500g
icing sugar 100g, plus extra for kneading
water 50ml

If making marzipan:
Whizz the blanched almonds in a food processor until they are finely ground. Add in sifted icing sugar and a small amount of the water a bit at a time. You do not want the mixture to be sticky. Place the marzipan in the fridge for about an hour or alternatively in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Grate the marzipan

To make the almond cookies, whizz the almonds and sugar together in a food processor until finely ground. Add the egg whites and whizz again until you have a smooth, white mixture. Make sure the mixture does not get too hot in the processor, otherwise the egg whites start clotting.

Now grate the marzipan and then blend it into the almond mixture If the marzipan is soft

this becomes a nightmare of stickiness so do make sure it is good and hard before beginning.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover tightly and leave to rest in the fridge for a couple of hours or until the next day.

Shape the mixture into 24 rectangular cakes about 2cm wide and 6cm long, like shortbread fingers.

Divide the dough into quarters and roll
each one into a log shape

Slice each log/quarter into six

Photo for size purposes

Press a walnut half on to one end of each almond finger, and two strips of dried apricot on to the other end.

Add walnut and apricot before baking

Preheat the oven to 190C. Place the shortbread fingers on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15-18 minutes. In my oven they took about 12 minutes.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate gently in a double boiler, then dip the bottom of each almond cake in the chocolate and leave to set on a piece of baking paper. Eat and enjoy.