Almond Drops Recipes

ALMOND DROPS

Steps:

• Place the almond paste, corn syrup and apricot puree in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Turn on the mixer to medium speed and add about 1 egg white, continue adding egg white gradually until the mixture can be piped through a piping bag. You will need to adjust the amount of egg whites added to the mixture depending on the consistency of the almond paste. Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use any design you like when you are piping the mixture. You can place whole almonds on top of some to achieve a different design.
• Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F and bake for 8 to10 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
• Place the sugar, honey and water in a saucepan and bring to a strong boil. Place the almonds in the food processor and grind until coarse. Remove the boiling sugar from the heat and pour over the coarse almonds. Blend until smooth. This may take 10 minutes or more, depending on the strength of the food processor. Remember, food processors are not usually strong enough to yield the same consistency as the almond paste that you can buy. If your mixture is too thick and the food processor is straining, you can add a little Kirsch or simple syrup to the processor. Add the liquid slowly and stop when the processor is moving more freely. The quality of almond paste is determined by how smooth the consistency is.
• Wrap the almond paste in plastic wrap and allow it to cool. When you are ready to use it, knead in the butter. The butter makes it smooth and not so sticky.
• Yield: About 2 cups

BLUEBERRY ALMOND DROP SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, almond flour, baking powder, salt and citrus zest until well combined.
• Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the frozen butter into the flour. Use a rubber spatula to toss the butter evenly into the flour, breaking up any large bits. Add the berries and slivered almonds and toss into the flour.
• Whisk together the cream, egg and vanilla in a small bowl, then pour into the flour-butter mixture. Stir and flatten the dough over itself until evenly moistened; some dry spots may remain -- that's OK. The dough will have the consistency of sticky cookie dough.
• Use a scoop or measuring cup to portion out 6 mounded 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto each prepared sheet pan. Flatten the mounds ever so slightly.
• For finishing: Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush onto the scones with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the scones with the finishing sugar.
• Bake until deep golden and slightly springy when touched, 28 to 30 minutes. Rotate the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway during baking. Let cool on the sheet pans until warm then transfer to a serving tray. The scones are best served warm or the day they are baked.

CHERRY ALMOND SNOWDROPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place cake flour, 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter and extracts; pulse until butter is the size of peas. Add cherries and almonds; pulse until combined (dough will be crumbly)., Shape dough into 1-in. balls, pressing firmly to adhere; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned., Cool on pans 10 minutes. Roll warm cookies in remaining confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.

ALMOND BARK CRISPY DROPS

Steps:

• In a microwave oven or double boiler, melt the almond bark, stirring frequently until smooth.
• Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until well blended.
• Fold in peanuts, cereal and mini marshmallows.
• Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.
• Cool completely before serving.

ALMOND DROPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Grease and flour cookie sheets.
• Cream almond paste with melted butter.
• Beat egg whites with salt until they form soft peaks.
• Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
• Continue beating until peaks are very firm.
• Fold into the almond paste mixture, adding flour and almonds.
• Fit a pastry bag with a number seven tube.
• Drop small round of batter on cookie sheets,spacing 1 inch between.
• Bake 5-8 minutes until edges of cookies are golden brown.

FAIRY DROPS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium for 30 seconds.
• Add granulated sugar, powdered sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and 1/2 tsp of salt.
• Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
• Beat in oil and eggs and extract until combined.
• Beat in as much of the flour as as you can.
• Stir in remaining flour by hand.
• cover and chill for 30 minutes.
• Scoop dough into rounded spoonfuls.
• Roll into balls.
• Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet.
• With bottom of a glass or a cookie stamp, gently flatten until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Sprinkle with colored sugar.
• Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
• Transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Prep time does not include chilling time.