Almond Brandy Cookie Recipes

ALMOND BRANDY COOKIE

Steps:

• 1.Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
• 2.In a large mixing bowl, cream together eggs, sugar, and butter.
• 3.In another bowl mix together flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and stir in anise seed, vanilla, brandy and chopped almonds.
• 4.Separate the dough into 4 balls. Roll the dough into a roll about 1-inch across. Then cut the dough every 1/2-inch to make bars 1-inch by 1/2-inch wide. For a more "log-like" cookie, cut each cookie in half, prior to baking them. Although the recipe says to divide the dough I found it just as easy to use a small scoop to put then on the cookie sheet and cook them for 10 minutes.
• 5.Place on a greased and floured baking sheet with 1/2-inch in between cookies.
• 6.Bake for 15 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven. Will look similar to shortbread but much lighter and cake-like.

CHEWY ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat shortening, almond butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a bowl until smooth. Combine hot water, baking soda, and salt together in another bowl; stir into almond butter mixture until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until blended. Gradually stir in flour until dough is just blended.
• Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Press and flatten balls with a fork to create a crosshatch pattern.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes.

NONNA'S BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Stir together sugar, butter, brandy, and extracts in a large bowl, then stir in almonds and eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
• Chill dough, covered, 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Using moistened hands, halve dough and form 2 (16-by 2-inch) loaves on an ungreased large baking sheet.
• Bake until pale golden, about 30 minutes. Carefully transfer loaves to a rack and cool 15 minutes.
• Cut loaves into 3/4-inch slices with a serrated knife.
• Arrange biscotti, with a cut side down, on a clean baking sheet and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

BEST-EVER ALMOND COOKIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, nuts, salt and extract; mix well. Gradually add flour, beating until blended after each addition.
• Roll into 42 (3/4 inch) balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten slightly with fork.
• Bake 12 min. or until lightly browned. Let stand on baking sheets 1 min. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.

AMARANTH-WALNUT COOKIES WITH BRANDY

Steps:

• 1 Place the 4 ounces of walnuts and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until the mixture looks sandy and the nuts are finely ground, about 15 seconds.
• 2 Whisk together the white whole wheat flour, amaranth flour, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg yolk, brandy, and vanilla and beat until well blended, about 30 seconds. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the nut mixture, then gradually add the flour mixture until it is just incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until the dough is firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• 3 Place a rack 1 notch below the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the amaranth seeds in a small bowl.
• 4 Pinch off walnut-size pieces of the firm dough and roll them between your palms into smooth 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in amaranth seeds, gently pressing to adhere if needed, and place on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between pieces. Make an indentation with your thumb in the center of each ball, gently pressing it down about a third of its height, and then lightly press a walnut half into the center.
• 5 Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies just turn golden brown around the edges and firm up but still yield to gentle pressure, 17 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully slide the parchment paper with the cookies onto a wire rack to cool. The cookies will crisp as they cool.

ALMOND CAKE WITH APRICOT BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan; set aside.
• With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy - about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, including yolk, beating well after each addition. Add the preserves, sour cream and extract and beat for 1 minute more.
• Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; lightly fold almond paste into the batter.
• Spread evenly in prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm when the pan is lightly tapped.
• To prepare sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for a few minutes more. Drizzle over cake slices.