Ukrainian Almond Crescents Recipes

ALMOND CRESCENTS III

Steps:

• Mix together shortening and confectioner's sugar and water. Stir in flour, salt, vanilla and almonds. Mix well.
• Form dough with hands into 3 inch lengths about pencil thin.
• Bake on ungreased sheet in a preheated 300 degrees F oven (150 degrees C) for 20 minutes.
• While cookies cool, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave. When cookies are completely cool, dip one half in melted chocolate.

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.

VIENNESE ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In small bowl, mix flour, almond meal and salt, stirring well with wire whisk. In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until blended. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into 40 (2-inch) logs; bend logs to form crescent shape. Place crescents 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar.

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.

ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Finely grind nuts, flour and salt in processor. Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla and almond extracts in large bowl until light. Add nut mixture and beat just until blended. Cover; chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. For each cookie, roll 1 rounded tablespoonful dough into cylinder; pinch ends to taper. Place in crescent shape on baking sheet. Bake until bottoms of cookies are just golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to racks. Cool cookies. Sift 1/4 cup powdered sugar over. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• In a food processor, process the almonds and sugar until the almonds are ground very finely. Cut the butter into a few pieces and add it with the motor running. Process until smooth and creamy.
• Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and sprinkle the salt on top. Pulse it just until the flour is incorporated.
• Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a thick disk and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 2 hours.
• For the topping, stir together the sugar and cinnamon until uniform in color.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Divide the dough into 8 portions. Work with 1 section at a time, keeping the remainder of the dough refrigerated. Knead the dough between floured hands until malleable. Pinch off a portion of the dough and roll it into a 1-inch-round ball.
• On a lightly floured counter, roll each ball into a cylinder with tapered ends, about 3 inches long by 1/2 inch thick. Form each cylinder into a crescent shape and place on an ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. The cookies will require two cookie sheets, one for the middle rack in the oven and one for the lower one.
• Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until set but not brown. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period.
• Cool the cookies on the sheets for 10 minutes. While they are still warm, use a small angled metal spatula or pancake turner to lift them from the sheets and dip them, one at a time, in the cinnamon sugar, turning gently to coat all over. Finish cooling the cookies on wire racks.
• To store, place the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month or freeze for as many as several months.

VIENNESE ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the almonds. Combine the flour and salt and stir into the butter mixture.
• Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll it between your palms to make a cigar shape. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and gently curve it into a cresent. Repeat, placing the cookies 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are barely golden, about 12 minutes.
• Immediately transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Cookies can be frozen in an airtight container, with wax paper between each layer, for up to 6 months. Defrost 30 minutes before serving. Immediately before serving, dust with powdered sugar.