Amigthalota - Almond Pears
3 c Ground almonds
1/2 c Icing sugar; sifted
1/4 c Egg whites (1/4 c = 2 whites
1/2 ts Grated lemon rind, optional
2 dr Almond essence
Whole cloves Additional icing sugar Rose or orange flower water - (optional) Makes: 30 Cooking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 160 C (325 F) Blend ground almonds with icing sugar measured after sifting. Add lightly beaten egg whites with lemon rind if used and almond essence. Mix to a firm dough with hands. Clean hands and rub with a little butter to prevent dough sticking while shaping. Break off small pieces of dough the size of a walnut and form into pear shapes. Insert a whole clove in the top of each to resemble a stem and place upright on a buttered and floured baking sheet. Bake in a moderately slow oven for 20 minutes, covering with brown paper if tops begin to brown.
Sift 2 cups icing sugar into a bowl and dip hot Amigthalota into it. If desired, a little rose or orange flower water may be brushed onto Amigthalota before dipping into icing sugar. Place on a wire rack to cool. Sift remaining sugar from bowl into base of a container and arrange cooled Almond Pears upright in a single layer. Sift more sugar thickly over tops and sides, seal and store for a day or two before using.
Almond Shorts
1 c Sugar
1 c Sugar, brown
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Vinegar
1 ts Vanilla extract
3 Eggs
1 lb Butter
6 c Flour
2/3 c Almonds, slivered
Combine sugars, baking soda, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir in eggs. Cut butter into small pieces and work into mixture. Add flour, a cup at a time, and mix well. Knead in almonds. Gather dough into ball and divide into five equal pieces. Roll each piece into a cylinder. If you wish, roll each cylinder in colored sugar. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Cut each log into 1/4″ slices. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. “This recipe is a tradition in my husband’s Swedish family. It makes enough cookies to feed the Swedish Army.”