Friday, March 10, 2023

Recipe Dev: 'Gluten Free Almond Cookies'

 

    Yes, I know GF baking has a reputation of being not terribly palatable. Flour substitutes can yield crumbly or dusty results when it comes to cookies, or dense blocks when talking cakes. Lots of progress has been made in recent years though, and some tinkering at the cooking school yielded a rather nice result. I use it as a variant on Mexican Wedding Cookies.

    This recipe is quite simple, if a touch pricey due to the expense of almond flour. It makes about 3 dozen, and they'll keep on the counter in a box for most of a week, or even left out uncovered for a few days if you're feeling brave about it. Benefit of no gluten- nothing to go stale!

Ingredients

12 oz almond meal

8 oz sugar (superfine preferred)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp almond extract

Pinch kosher salt

4 egg whites

2 Tbsp honey

~8 oz pepitas

AND

2-3 cups powdered sugar.


Equipment- Large bowl (2), whisk, shallow dish or bowl (2), sheet tray, portion scoop (#50/2Tbsp is ideal), parchment paper, tablespoon, scale.

Instructions
Oven- 325F
Prepare two shallow dishes or bowls- one for the sliced almonds, another for powdered sugar.


In a large bowl, gently combine almond flour, sugar, salt, extract, and cinnamon.
In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites and honey until firm peaks form.
Gently fold the egg white mixture into the other ingredients.
This should result in a smooth, moldable paste.


Using a small scoop or your hands, gently form the dough into 2-tablespoon size balls. Roll them in the sliced pepitas to cover, then in the powdered sugar.


Place in neat rows on a parchment-lined sheet tray with at least 1-2 inches of room between.
Flatten each cookie slightly until it looks more like a disc than a ball.


Bake for 15-18 minutes or until slightly golden but still very soft. Allow to cool on the sheet tray.

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