Amygdalota Recipes

GREEK ALMOND COOKIES (AMYGDALOTA)

Steps:

• Set the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line (2) baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine the almond flour, sugar, orange zest and salt in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the beaten egg whites until the dough is wet and paste-like.
• Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop the dough into tablespoon size balls and roll in the sliced almonds (this is easier to do if you break up some of the almonds into small pieces with your fingers). Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and flatten them a bit as they won't spread.
• Bake both trays in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, rotating the pans from top to bottom halfway through baking, for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set.
• Remove from heat and cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks. Serve and enjoy!

AMYGDALOTA: GREEK-STYLE CHEWY ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 °F, 165 °C.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg whites on high speed until thick and stiff.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the almond flour, salt, sugar, almond extract, and orange blossom water. Mix together until combined.
• Fold the whipped egg whites into the almond flour mixture until a dough is formed.
• Note:For a more dense, firm cookie, keep the dough very dense by adding up to 455 grams of almond flour to it. Dense cookie dough will not spread during baking. For a flatter cookie, allow the dough to be slightly looser.
• Using a small ice cream scoop or 2 spoons, scoop walnut-sized pieces of dough onto baking trays lined with parchment paper.
• Alternately, fill a piping bag that has been fitted with the star attachment with the batter. Do not fill more than halfway. Pipe swirls of these cookies onto baking trays that have been lined with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle some sliced almonds over the top of each cookie.
• Bake on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes. The cookies will be pale and slightly golden around the edges.
• If baking 2 trays together, make sure to rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking.
• Allow the cookies to cool completely.
• If decorating with chocolate, spread some melted chocolate on the bottom of each cookie place the cookies chocolate-side up on the baking tray until they set. You may also place them in the freezer or refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or until the chocolate hardens.
• Enjoy!

AMYGDALOTA (Αμυγδαλωτά)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a medium sized bowl whisk to combine the almond flour with the salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, using the hand held mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk together 3 of the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Next add the almond extract and the superfine sugar to the whisked egg whites and beat until well combined and your mixture appears glossy.
• Fold in the almond flour using a rubber spatula. Your dough will be stiff at this point but mix well until you end up with a uniform batter.
• Add in the last 2 egg whites and beat to combine using your hand held mixer. (At this point we switch to the paddle attachments of the hand held mixer).
• Attach a large star shaped piping tip to your piping bag. Fill your piping bag with the cookie batter and pipe cookies onto a parchment lined cookie tray. Leave about 1 inch between cookies and pipe your cookies so that they are about 1 inch high. If you do not have a piping bag you can simply use a tablespoon or mini ice cream scooper to form balls of cookie dough.
• Place a slivered almond on top of each cookie.
• Bake in the middle rack of your oven for between 17 - 19 minutes until golden brown on the bottom of the cookie. The baking time will depend on how you have shaped your amygdalota.
• Remove your baking tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy!

ORANGE-SCENTED ALMOND COOKIES: AMYGDALOTA ME ORANGE

Steps:

• Grind the almonds in a food processor until ground fine. Add in 2 1/2 cups of sugar. Put the almond mixture into a small saucepan on medium high heat. Add in the liquids and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Put aside to cool.
• Once cool, shape tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture into 1 1/2-inch-high pear shapes, wetting your fingers with the juice. Dredge each cookie in confectioners or granulated sugar to coat. Wrap individually in cellophane or place in a box with a lid. Let stand for at least 3 days before serving.

GREEK ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a bowl combine almond flour, sugar and salt, set aside.
• With your electric mixer beat egg whites in another bowl until thick and stiff.
• Using a spatula gradually mix in egg whites into the dry ingredients until a sticky dough forms.
• Sprinkle sliced almonds into the two baking sheets.
• Scoop about two tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball.
• Place cookie balls on the baking sheet and roll to cover with almond pieces. Flatten cookies a bit with your hand.
• Bake in the center of your oven for 15 minutes or until cookies are slightly golden on the edges but still pale in center.
• Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet then for another 10 on a wire rack

AMIGDALOTA - ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• In a bowl combine eggs, 2 cups of sugar and almond extract and mix for 2-3 minutes.
• Fold in the ground almonds. The mixture will be quite moist and sticky.
• Shape into round balls (1 1/2" in diameter).
• Place the remaining cup of sugar on a separate plate and roll the balls in the sugar.
• Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper and place cookies on the baking tray.
• Place one whole almond on top of cookie and press gently.
• Bake for 12 minutes at 275 degrees F.
• Allow to cool and place in an airtight container as the cookies should remain chewy and not dry and crunchy.

GREEK ALMOND MACAROON COOKIES (AMYGDALOTA)

Steps:

• Cut almond paste into 1/2 inch pieces.
• In an electric mixer with a paddle, mix the almond paste for a few minutes and then slowly add the confectioner sugar.
• With the mixer still on add the rose water, continuing to mix until you have a thick dough. Then slowly add the egg whites one at a time until mixture is loose enough to pipe out a pastry bag but not soupy (the consistency of a brownie batter). Depending on the humidity, you will need more or less egg whites.
• Put mixture into pastry bag and pipe onto a non stick cookie sheet, making small cookies.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.