Almond Gingers Recipes

WONDERFUL ALMOND FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together unsalted butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and egg yolk one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into the sugar mixture until smoothly blended. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4 inch round tip. A large freezer storage bag with one of the corners snipped off will also work.
• Pipe dough into 2 inch long logs using a side to side squiggle motion. Space cookies at least 2 inches apart. Place cookie sheets with cookies into the freezer for a couple of minutes to harden.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• In the microwave or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate and 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the milk. Dip both ends of the cooled cookies into the chocolate and place them onto waxed paper to set.

ALMOND GINGERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix sugar and ginger.
• Cut cookie dough into 32 (1/4-inch-thick) slices. Shape each slice into ball and roll in sugar-ginger mixture; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press almond on top of each cookie.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

GINGER AND ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the pan with baking parchment, letting the parchment hang over the sides. (This will make it easier to remove the dessert once baked.)
• Prepare the base:
• In the saucepan, melt the butter. Add the almond meal, fresh ginger, honey, egg, salt, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. The mixture should be thick and sticky.
• Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan. To help make a level and even base, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the base. Using a flat-bottomed glass (or your fingers), smooth out the base by pressing gently to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Bake until the base is slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the topping:
• In the same saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the almonds, candied ginger, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated.
• When the base is baked, spread the topping evenly over the base and bake until the topping is dark and sizzling, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not underbake.
• Transfer the pan to the baking rack to cool. When the dessert is completely cool, remove it from the pan using the overhanging parchment as handles and cut it into 16 even squares.
• Do Ahead
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Variation:
• Chestnut Honey Squares: For the base, replace 1 cup (90g) almond meal with 3/4 cup (120 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour and use a strong honey, such as chestnut, in place of the mild honey. For the topping, replace the candied ginger with organic candied orange or lemon peel, cut into tiny cubes.

GINGER-SPICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In 15x10x1-inch pan, spread almonds. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix remaining ingredients except egg whites and butter; set aside. In large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Continue beating, gradually adding sugar mixture. Fold in almonds.
• Place butter in same pan. Place in oven 3 to 5 minutes or until butter is melted. Spread almond mixture over butter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until almonds are brown and no butter remains. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Store in airtight container.

GINGER-ALMOND SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar and almond extract until smooth.
• Add flour, ginger, and ground almonds and beat mixture until well combined.
• On a floured surface, roll dough out to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Cut into two-inch rounds and place 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Press a whole almond into the center of each cookie and bake about 20 minutes or until very lightly colored.
• Remove to rack and cool.

GINGER ALMONDS BY ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• 2. Combine the ginger and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• 3. Chop up the arbol chile until most pieces are around 1/8". I usually use dried chile.
• 4.Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a medium-large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the arbol chile and cook, stirring frequently, until the chile begins to give off an aroma, 30 to 45 seconds.
• 5. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently until lightly toasted, approximately 5 minutes.
• 6. Add the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce and cook until reduced slightly and the pan looks dry, approximately 1 minute.
• 7. Immediately remove the nuts to the large bowl and toss with the ginger mixture.
• 8. Spread the coated nuts into a single layer on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pan to a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes or until completely cool.
• 9. Keep dry in a sealed container and it'll easily last a few weeks, that is if it hasn't been eaten long before.