Amadeus Cookies

Well we all have the traditional recipes in our family that are handed down from generation to generation.  However, how often is it that you come across a recipe that is so good that it makes you want to start your own tradition?  For me it is not that often.  However, after baking and tasting these particular cookies, I am convinced to make them every year at Christmas. So those classic cookies will need to give way so these gems can appear on the holiday cookie tray.

I know you are wondering what makes these so great.  It is hard to pinpoint one singular thing about them so I will cover all of the elements. The outer part is a shortbread type of cookie, which can stand alone in taste.  The filling is a unique blend of pistachios, almond paste and cherry brandy.  This amazing filling is what really makes these cookies extra special.  In fact, I found myself doing probably too much taste testing of that element!

Also, if that is not enough there is a suggestion to dip these halfway into a chocolate glaze.  Due to the Texas weather and that these cookies will be going to Ft Hood, I declined on dipping these in chocolate.

So if you are looking for some special and unique cookies, I hope you will try these. This recipe makes about 2 dozen.

Now before we get to the recipe, I wanted to give a special thanks to a few bloggers that passed the Versatile blogger award to me:

Jodie at Binomial Baker  -  This blogger just states that she is a college student cooking her way through life.  However, you will not find the typical college fare at her blog.  I wished when I was in college I had a friend preparing food like she does. From Lemon gnocchi to Chai Tea Muffins her recipes are sure to please.  

Bloggy Writer at Food Lovers Club -this blogger is fairly new to the scene, but she is off to a great start.  I already have bookmarked her Apple and Walnut Ice Cream as well as the Pan Smoked Chicken Breasts.

Take a moment and check out their sites if you haven't already!

Now for the recipe.

Amadeus Cookies
adapted from Saveur Magazine, Feb 2009

Ingredients/Cookies
3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks of butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Ingredients/Filling
3.5 oz of almond paste, chopped (I used half of 7 oz box)
1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs cherry liqueur or cherry brandy
1 tbs sugar

To make the cookie dough, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Then add the 1/2 cup of flour and salt, then mix until no dry streaks remain.  Beat in egg yolks, one at a time for 30 seconds.  Then, using a wooden spoon fold in the remaining flour, forming a dough.

Once all the flour is incorporated, take out 4 sheets of wax paper.  Each should be about 12 inches long.  Separate the dough into 2 sections.  Place one piece on a sheet of wax paper and shape into a flat disk.  Then cover with another sheet of wax paper.  Repeat the process with the other piece of the dough.  Then stack the two disks on top of each other and place stack on baking sheet and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

During this time you can make the filling.  Fill a large bowl of a food processor with the sugar and the pistachios.  Cover and process for about 45 seconds or until the nuts are ground into small pieces.  Add the almond paste and process again for 45 seconds.  Pour in the cherry liqueur and the vanilla extract and pulse until all liquids are equally distributed into filling.  Set mixture aside.

After 45 minutes have passed of chilling time for the dough, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Dust a flat surface lightly with flour.  Take out one of the disks of dough and roll into a 1/8 inch thickness using a rolling pin.  Cut out circles with a round cutter, about 1 3/4 in diameter. Place cut outs 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.  Bake in oven until edges turn golden, which is about 20 minutes.  Pans will need to be rotated at the halfway point.  Remove pan and transfer cookies to a cooling rack.  Continue with this process until all dough has been formed and baked into cookies.

Once cookies have cooled, pair them up so they sandwich well together.  Place one cookie in each pair with the underside facing up.  On each underside, place 1 tsp full of filling and flatten it slightly.  Then press the other matching cookie on top.  After this, you can dip the cookies in melted chocolate if you prefer.  Then place back on rack to let the glaze solidify.
                    **LAST YEAR: Dark Chocolate and Orange Muffins**                 

 

   

Celebrity Factor Cookies

There are actually two main factors that celebrities have to deal with when it comes to the public.  One is all the people that adore or love them.  The other is the people that want to be them.  These cookies are about those two factors.  They have cranberries for the love and pistachios for the green with envy!

Yes, today I have taken a trip away from chocolate to bring you something a little bit different.  As I explained before, I am not a big fan of raisins, but if it is to be dried fruit give me cranberries, pineapple or dates!  Cranberries was also chosen since we are on the eve of Valentine's.

Outside of the two factors, this cakey cookie offers hints of cinnamon and orange. The end result is one tasty cookie.  Delicious with a healthy slant.  I said no to thoughts of drizzling with white chocolate.  So here you have it, healthy bits in this cookie and no chocolate.  This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Celebrity Factor Cookies
by flourtrader

Ingredients
1/3 cup plus 2 tbs orange juice
1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temp
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp grated orange peel
3/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
2 cups dried sweetened cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

Prepare cranberries by soaking in orange juice for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Also, butter 3 cookie sheets.

Sift together salt, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder in a medium size bowl.  Set aside. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.  Add egg, orange zest and vanilla extract to the butter sugar mixture.  Beat for about 2 minutes until all is blended and evenly distributed.

Fold in the sifted ingredients with a wooden spoon.  Once there are no dry streaks remaining, stir in the cranberries as well as the orange juice that they soaked in.  Lastly, add the pistachios and mix until evenly distributed.

Then cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.  My butter was real soft, so I let the cookie batter cool for about 30 minutes to firm up.  While the batter is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Remove batter from fridge.  Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop batter by rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheet.  Cookies should be spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Place cookies in oven and bake until outside edges have turned golden, about 10-15 minutes.  Mine took about 12 minutes.  Remove cookie sheet and let cookies cool on sheet about 5 minutes.  Then transfer to rack to finish cooling.