Romeo And Juliet Almond Rounds Recipes

ROMEO'S SIGHS AND JULIET'S KISSES

Steps:

• Romeo's Sighs
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the almond extract. Add the salt and flour, beating just until each addition is incorporated.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto one of the prepared pans. Set aside until you prepare Juliet's Kisses.
• Juliet's Kisses
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla. Add the salt, flour, and cocoa powder, beating until each addition is incorporated.
• Drop by level teaspoonfuls onto the second prepared pan. (These cookies spread more than the Romeos.)
• Place the pan of the Romeos and the pan of Juliets in the center of the oven. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the Romeos just start to brown at the edges. Cool completely on wire racks.
• Filling
• Spread the filling onto the flat side of a Romeo and sandwich together with a Juliet. Repeat this process with the remaining cookies.

ROMEO AND JULIET ALMOND ROUNDS

Steps:

• Almond Butter: Toast almonds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds in single layer on baking sheet. Bake approx. 8 minutes, stirring once, until lightly brown. Cool. Grind almonds in food processor fitted with steel blade 2 minutes, then add oil and salt. Process until smooth (approx 5 minutes). Note: almond butter will not be as creamy as commercial nut butters. (Almond butter can be made in advance. Store refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and stir before using.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Divide French Loaf dough in half crosswise. Gently stretch first piece of dough until it is approx. 13 inches long. Repeat with remaining piece of dough. Lay dough pieces on cookie sheet, seam side down. Bake 15 minutes. Let cool. Preheat broiler. Slice bread into approx. 1/2 inch rounds using serrated knife. Lay slices flat on ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly spray tops of rounds with cooking spray (canola oil, olive oil or butter-flavored spray may be used). Broil until golden brown (approx. 2 minutes), watching carefully so they don't burn. Let cool. Spread top of each round with a thin layer of almond butter. Top with thin slices (approx 1/8 inch) of cheese and guava paste. Makes approx. 48. Serve at room temperature. NOTE: Thin strips of guava paste may be rolled into rosebud shapes.