Pine Nut Almond Macaroons Recipes

ALMOND-PINE NUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spread the pine nuts onto a jelly-roll pan lined with waxed or parchment paper.
• Break the almond paste into chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and process until the mixture is homogenous, stopping once to scrape down the bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the egg whites and process until smooth. Scrape again and process for a few more seconds.
• The mixture will be sticky, but with a light touch and moist hands it can be gently rolled. Keep a damp towel nearby to wipe and wet your hands. Using damp hands, round the mix into scant 1-inch balls and drop the balls onto the tray of pine nuts. Once you have 3 to 4 balls formed, roll them in the nuts to cover completely. Place about 16 balls 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the first tray while preparing the second, until the cookies are pale golden, and puffy, about 25 minutes. Place the baking sheets on wire cooling racks and cool the cookies completely before lifting them off. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 week.

PINE NUT-ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large cookie sheet with foil. Combine Marsala and currants in heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Cool.
• Finely grind almonds and 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts with sugar and flour in processor. Mix egg white with extract in medium bowl. Add to processor and blend until dough forms ball. Place dough in bowl. Mix in currants. Shape dough between palms into 3/4-inch-diameter balls. Roll in 1 cup pine nuts to cover, pressing to adhere. Flatten each to 1 1/2-inch round. Space evenly on cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown about 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove cookies from foil using metal spatula and cool on rack. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

PINE NUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• 1 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a large baking sheet. 2 In a large bowl, crumble the almond paste. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in the almonds, egg whites, and 1 cup of confectioner's sugar until smooth. 3 Scoop up a tablespoon of the batter. Roll the batter in the pine nuts, covering it completely and forming a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, placing the balls about 1 inch apart. 4 Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack. Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet. 5 Transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ITALIAN ALMOND MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the almond paste, egg whites and lemon extract until smooth. Sift together the white sugar and confectioners' sugar, then combine sugars with the flour and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture along with the food coloring of your choice. Drop by teaspoonfuls, two inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle some nuts on top of each cookie.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden around the edges. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store or freeze in an airtight container.