Tag Archives: almonds

Easy-Peasy Friday: Frozen Choco-Bananas

01 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in Cook, Easy-Peasy

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We have a one-word exclamation in our house that brings a smile to everyone’s face: WEEKEND! (If there was a font face to communicate squealing with anticipation, I’d be using it right now.) And while I sometimes use Saturday mornings to tackle more complex, time-intensive cooking and artwork, what I really want most is to spend those precious weekend moments with the people I care about. I want our time together to be fun and special, and I love to make little treats and crafts that show my friends and family they are cherished.

With that in mind, I’m introducing Easy-Peasy Fridays on createdforjoy.com! I thought it might be nice to ease us into the weekend with a quick, simple recipe or craft idea. I’ve decided any project or recipe is game, as long as it 1) requires no more than three steps, 2) can be completed while children and guests are underfoot, and 3) makes the weekend feel special. Stay tuned for all sorts of easy-peasy fun. :)

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The inaugural Easy-Peasy Friday recipe was a pretty obvious choice because it’s a summer staple at our house and one of our favorite easy treats: Frozen Choco-Bananas. It’s the perfect use for week-old bananas that would make for a sad lunchtime companion, but aren’t quite ready for banana bread. These are great because they’re simple to make, popular with all ages, and more nutritionally complete than a popsicle or scoop of ice cream.

To make your own Frozen Choco-Bananas:

1) Peel the bananas and chop either into halves or fourths, and insert either a toothpick or popsicle stick in the base of each piece.
2) Place on a wax paper-lined plate and freeze for a few hours.
3) Swirl the frozen bananas in melted chocolate (I usually just microwave a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips until melted, but fancier chocolate is fine), then roll in the topping of your choice: chopped nuts, sprinkles, toasted coconut, mini marshmallows, dried fruit, or crushed candy bars. Freeze again until chocolate is firm, then serve or store in a zip-top plastic bag.

These last for weeks if well-wrapped… or at least, I think they would. We always eat them all in a matter of days. Perfect kid fare for birthdays or slumber parties, a yummy way to keep cool at BBQ’s and picnics, and a great surprise to pull from the cooler after a summer hike.

Oh, one more thing: WEEKEND! :)

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Chewy Almond Macaroons

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in Cook

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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. :)

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