Genoese Nut Diamonds Recipes

ALMOND-RYE HEART COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse almonds and flours until nuts are finely ground. Add salt and cinnamon; pulse to combine.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add egg yolk and almond extract; beat until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll tablespoon-size portions of dough into 1/4-inch-thick ropes, each about 7 inches long. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and shape into hearts. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden brown and crisp, about 17 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

GENOESE NUT DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a food processor, pulse almonds, hazelnuts, 1/3 cup sugar, and the salt until nuts are finely ground.
• Beat butter and remaining 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low; beat in nut mixture, then Frangelico. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until top is golden and firm to the touch, and a wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing cake from pan.
• Cut cake into 1-inch-wide rows; cut rows on a diagonal at 1 1/2-inch intervals to create 1 1/2-by-1-inch diamonds. Press an almond sliver into top of each diamond. (At this point, cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.)
• Remove diamonds from pan, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Diamonds can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.