Chinese Almond Cakes Recipe Epicuriouscom Recipes

CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk any bits of almond flour left in the sifter into the sifted flour mixture.
• Combine the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the almond extract and 1 egg yolk and beat until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the flour mixture and beat until no streaks of flour remain, about 2 minutes.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• When ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk together the remaining egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Scoop the dough by tablespoons (you can use a 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop) and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a ball and return it to the baking sheet. Flatten each with your palm into a 2-inch round. Gently press an almond onto each and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown on the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

ALMOND CAKES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Brush molds with melted butter and lightly dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• Stir together flour (3 tablespoons) and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat together softened butter and granulated sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in almond paste and vanilla until combined well, then beat in egg until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter among molds or muffin cups, spreading evenly, then transfer to a baking sheet (not necessary if using muffin pan).
• Bake cakes until just firm and edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely, about 5 minutes. Turn cakes right side up and dust tops with confectioners sugar just before serving.

EASY WHIPPED CREAM CAKE, CHINESE BAKERY-STYLE

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9"-diameter cake pans with unsalted butter, room temperature, then dust with cake flour, shaking out excess. Beat 4 large eggs and 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until thick, pale, and doubled in volume, 5-7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together 1½ cups (173 g) cake flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl.
• Pour ¾ cup half-and-half into a heatproof measuring glass or small bowl and heat in microwave in 15-second bursts until hot but not bubbling at all. Pour in ¼ cup vegetable oil. (Alternatively, you can heat half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium before pouring in oil.)
• Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and, with motor running, gradually pour hot half-and-half mixture down sides of bowl; mix until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients, ¼ cup at a time, beating after each addition until just incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl to make sure there are no dry floury bits. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth surface.
• Bake cakes, rotating pans front to back halfway through, until risen by 1" and golden brown on top, 15-20 minutes. (These are very light cakes and may not spring back when gently pressed.) Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool in pans 30 minutes. Run a small knife or offset spatula around inside of pans to loosen cakes, then turn out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let cool completely.
• Once cakes are cool, beat 4 cups heavy cream, ¾ cup (83 g) powdered sugar, and ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt in clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with clean whisk attachment on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a large plate or cake stand and spread a 1" layer of whipped cream on top with a small offset spatula. Arrange 1 cup sliced hulled strawberries in a single layer over whipped cream. Place second cake layer on top and spread top and sides of cake generously with whipped cream.
• Transfer remaining whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice or a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off, if desired, and decorate top of cake with swirls or other patterns. Arrange fresh fruit (such as sliced strawberries and kiwis and/or whole raspberries and/or blueberries). Chill cake 1 hour before serving.

ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Finely grind the almonds in a food processor.
• With an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar to a smooth pale cream. Beat in the zests and almond extract. Add the ground almonds and mix very well.
• With clean beaters, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold them into the egg and almond mixture (the mixture is thick, so that you will need to turn it over quite a bit into the egg whites).
• Grease an 11-inch springform pan, preferably nonstick, with butter and dust it with flour. Pour in the cake batter, and bake into a preheated 350°F for 40 minutes, or until it feels firm to the touch. Let cool before turning out.
• Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar. Or, if you like, cut a St. James cross out of paper. Place it in the middle of the cake, and dust the cake with confectioners' sugar, then remove the paper.

CHINESE ALMOND CAKES

Steps:

• Into a bowl sift together the flour and the baking powder and blend in the lard, the vegetable shortening, and the sugar until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the almond extract, the egg, and 1 tablespoon water, or enough to form the mixture into a soft dough, knead the dough several times, and let it stand in a cool place for 5 minutes. Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and press them down with the palm of the hand to form cakes about 1/2 inch thick. Press an almond into the center of each cake and bake the cakes in batches on floured baking sheets in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 5 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300°F. and bake the cakes for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until they are light golden brown.

CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and extract. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a fork. Sprinkle with almonds, pressing to adhere as needed. In a small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush over cookies. , Bake until edges and bottoms are lightly browned, 14-16 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

ALMOND CAKE WITH KIRSCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until light and creamy. Add almond paste, 1 piece at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in kirsch, almond extract and salt. Mix flour and baking powder in small bowl; add to batter. Beat just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• Transfer cake to platter. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.) Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Grease a 9- or 10-inch (23-25 cm) cake or spring form pan with butter, dust it with flour and tap out any excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper. (See Note, below.) 2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup (35g) of flour until the almond paste is finely ground and the mixture resembles sand. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup (105g) of flour, baking powder, and salt. 4. Once the almond paste is completely broken up, add the cubes of butter and the vanilla and almond extracts, then process until the batter is very smooth and fluffy. 5. Add the eggs one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition. (You may wish to open the machine and scrape the sides down to make sure the eggs are getting fully incorporated.) After you add all the eggs, the mixture may look curdled. Don't worry; it'll come back together after the next step. 6. Add half the flour mixture and pulse the machine a few times, then add the rest, pulsing the machine until the drying ingredients are just incorporated, but do not overmix. (You can also transfer the batter to a bowl and mix the dry ingredients in, which ensures the dry ingredients get incorporated evenly and you don't overbeat it.) 7. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 65 minutes, or until the top is deep brown and feels set when you press in the center. 8. Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp or serrated knife around the perimeter, loosing the cake from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.