Almond Frangipane Cookies

For the almond filling:
2 cups almond flour (200g)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (175g)
1 large egg
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (42g)
1 T Bacardi rum
1/2 tsp almond extract

For the cookie dough:
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted (226g)
1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar (220g)
1/2 cup powdered sugar (50g), plus more for garnishing
1 large egg
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour (390g)
1 cup sliced almonds

Make the filling : In a bowl, whisk the egg. Mix in the almond flour, sugar, rum, almond extract, and melted butter. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, sugars. Add the egg, almond extract, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour and mix thoroughly.

Assemble the cookies: Weigh the dough and divide into 20 portions. Do the same with the almond filling from the refrigerator. Take a cookie dough ball and flatten it into a pancake in-between parchment or wax paper. Put a ball of the filling into the center of the dough pancake. Envelope the cookie dough around the almond filling and roll until smooth. Repeat for all dough balls. Dip in sliced almonds, pressing them into the top of each dough ball.

Bake: Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the cookies are just turning golden at the edge. Remove from the oven and move to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

Pistachio Gelato

 

• 2 c  whole milk
• 1/3 c sugar
• 2 T cornstarch
• 7 oz pistachio cream (or paste), look for one that’s at least 40% pistachios
• a few drops of lemon or orange juice

• Make a slurry by mixing the 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch.
• Heat the rest of the milk in a medium-sized saucepan with the sugar.
• When it almost starts to boil, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook at gentle simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl, and chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.
• Once chilled, whisk in the pistachio paste and just a few drops of citrus juice until smooth.
• Freeze the gelato in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Hyggeville Granola

2 ¾ cups rolled oats
1 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup unsweetened coconut
⅓ cup pepitas
1 ½ t. kosher salt
½ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup real maple syrup
⅓ cup olive oil
¾ cup dried sour cherries, freeze dried cherries or freeze dried raspberries

Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pistachios, coconut, and pepitas. Set the cherries aside to add after baking.

In a small saucepan set over low heat, warm the sugar, salt, syrup and olive oil until the sugar has just dissolved, then remove from heat. Add liquids into the mixture of oats, making sure to coat the dry ingredients well.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment and spread granola over it. Bake until dry and lightly golden, 35 to 45 minutes, stirring granola a few times along the way.

Remove from oven, and mix in the dried sour cherries. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to a storage container. Makes about 6 cups.