Tag Archives: almond paste

Plum Crumble

12 Thursday Apr 2012

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It has been a whirlwind of activity around here, as multiple birthdays coincided with an extended visit from dear friends. Absorbing a family of six into your household can make for a wee bit of chaos, but it also makes for a whole lot of fun. A few minutes after they left, I found myself at a loss: standing in a suddenly empty kitchen, unsettled by the vacuum of quiet and stillness where so many people were talking and moving just minutes before.

The kitchen was the right place to be at that moment, really. It is where I feel most centered and fluent, the place where I seem to instinctively know what to do. In the wake of all that activity, I was in the mood to bake something tasty and simple. A bowl full of ripe red plums beckoned, and rolled oats and almond paste from the pantry supplied substance and richness.

I love the textures of this dessert: warm, syrupy plums and melted heaps of smooth, nutty almond paste, topped by the toasted crunch of oat crumble. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is virtually required for a fruit crumble fresh from the oven, although you could substitute lightly sweetened whipped cream or a drizzle of creme fraiche. Apricots or peaches would also work in place of the plums, or even a mix of stone fruit and berries. Just think sweet and tangy, ripe and seasonal. No matter the filling, this dish is warm and comforting, just right for a still April afternoon.

Plum Crumble
serves eight

For filling:
10 ripe red plums, pits removed and fruit cut into 1/8’s
2 tsp. cinnamon sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
juice of half a lemon
7 oz. almond paste or marzipan

For crumble:
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. rolled oats (not instant)
1/4 c. demerara or turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

Oven 400F. Place plums in a medium-size, buttered glass/ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, nutmeg, and salt, then drizzle with lemon juice. Pinch almond paste into hazelnut-size knobs and scatter across the top of the plums.

In a small mixing bowl, toss flour, oats, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and butter until well-combined and crumbly. Spoon evenly over the top of the fruit and bake for 30 minutes, until topping is golden brown and fruit filling is bubbly and tender. Serve hot, with something cold and creamy.

Chewy Almond Macaroons

22 Thursday Dec 2011

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Fair warning: only those with a sizable sweet tooth need apply. But somehow these cookies manage to be both decadently sweet and pleasantly light. They look like your average sugar cookie, but then the scent of almond gives away their secret identity. The first bite tells the rest of the story: crispy, crackly edges give way to rich, chewy centers… soon all that’s left is a dusting of powdered sugar on your fingertips and a satisfied smile on your face. And to me, that’s what baking is all about. :)

(I could have easily titled this post Almond Obsession Part 2, since I already indulged myself last week with the Cherry Jam and Almond Cookie Bars. If you’ve seen the light and bought your own case of almond paste, you’re going to love these…)

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Chewy Almond Macaroons
makes 36 cookies

21 oz. almond paste (see cookie bar Recipe Notes for more info)
2 c. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. salt (not coarse)
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp. almond extract
sifted confectioner’s sugar for topping

Oven 325F. Blend the almond paste, sugar, and salt with electric mixer until well-mixed and crumbly. Add egg whites and almond extract and mix again until the dough is a smooth, sticky paste. Using two spoons, scoop the dough by heaped tablespoons on to lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Leave two inches between each, as cookies will spread quite a bit.

Generously sift powdered sugar over the tops of each little mound of cookie dough. (I love this part — it looks like a little snow-topped mountain range.) Use three fingers to press each cookie a little flatter. Bake for about 20 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and crispy. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pans, then eat one and transfer the rest to an airtight container. :)

Recipe Notes + Tips:
Many Americans associate macaroons with coconut, but the term macaroon (from the French macaron) refers to any cookie which uses ground nuts and egg white as binding agents instead of flour and whole eggs. Although macaroons include ground nuts or sweetened nut pastes for the body of the cookie, flavors can range from berry to citrus, chocolate to coffee.

Macaroons are super simple to make and are a great gluten-free alternative. This recipe easily halves or doubles, and the cookies can be frozen, well-wrapped, for up to three months. My thanks for recipe inspiration go to King Arthur Flour yet again, this time for their bakery’s Almond Bianchi cookies.

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Cherry Jam and Almond Cookie Bars

16 Friday Dec 2011

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I may be slightly more enamored of almonds than the average person. (Doesn’t everyone buy Odense almond paste in bulk?) But you don’t have to be an almond devotee to appreciate these deliciously dense, chewy cookie bars. Cherries and almonds play very well together, and this recipe makes the most of their complimentary flavors. These are nutty and buttery, just the right blend of salty and sweet. I prefer tart cherry jam for the filling, but you can easily substitute raspberry or apricot. Unlike most cookie bars, these are even more moist in the days after baking, and you won’t find a better partner for a hot cup of tea. Case of almond paste, anyone? :)

Cherry Jam and Almond Cookie Bars
makes 32 cookie bars

3/4 c. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
7 oz. almond paste (about 3/4 c., see Recipe Notes)
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 egg
3 c. all-purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt (not coarse)
12 oz. sour cherry jam (I use Favorit brand)
1/2 c. sliced almonds
2 Tbsp. coarse sugar (optional)

Oven 375F. Beat softened butter, almond paste, and sugar in electric mixer until well-blended. Add egg and extracts and mix again until thoroughly combined. In separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry mixture into wet ingredients with rubber spatula until uniformly mixed. Dough will be crumbly.

Reserve 1 1/2 c. dough and use your hands to press the rest into the bottom of a 9″x13″ buttered glass baking dish. Warm jam in microwave one minute and then spread over cookie base. Pat the reserved dough into rounds approximately 1/2″ thick and 3″ across, then place on top of jam. (There will be spaces between the dough rounds where the jam shows through.) Sprinkle top evenly with sliced almonds, then coarse sugar, and bake 26-28 minutes until top is lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into 32 squares.

Recipe Notes + Tips:
Almond paste is a blend of ground almonds and sugar syrup, usually about 45% almonds. You can make your own, but for this recipe, packaged almond paste is perfectly fine. I find all the large grocery stores in our area stock almond paste in the baking aisle, but you can also buy it on-line. I buy it in bulk on Amazon.com, but dozens of other sites sell it.

Quality almond paste should only include almonds and sugar, never any preservatives or flavorings. One note: marzipan is almost identical to almond paste, but with fewer almonds and more sugar. It will serve in most recipes in place of almond paste, although the results will be sweeter and a tad less moist. (However, in one important way, they are entirely the same: I could happily eat either one by the tube. :)

jammain