Nut cookies - Pistachio, Almond, Hazelnuts and pecans.

[Guest guest]

I am blessed with a nut and chocolate abundance and have been making these. I

love them since they have zero cholesterol but they sure do not taste like

penance food. The only caveat here is that you will need to buy some edible

paper. I get mine in 8 1/2 by 11 sheets from a baker's supply store. They are

made of potato flour mostly, I think rice paper also works. I use two of the

sheets per baking pan, makes about 2 dozen cookies. These all taste and look

very different from one another, even though the technique is the same.

 

These have no flour and are relatively low fat. The only fat comes from the nuts

in any case (OK, maybe the chocolate in the hazelnut and almond versions). The

original 'inspiring' recipe was for Syrian Seder cookies (which would not allow

flour) and I added the citrus and cardamon flavors.

 

PISTACHIO cookies:

 

1 1/2 cups pistachio - grind or pulverize in a grinder or food processor - I use

a Corona grain mill, same I use for corn bread, it works very well for making

nut flours. Make sure you get flour or meal, not butter (do not over process in

other words)

 

3 egg whites. Make into meringue using your favorite technique. A wire whisk

works, an electric blender works too. I use a wire whisk.

 

3/4 to 1 cups regular sugar - less for Euro taste, more for American taste.

 

6 cardamon pod seeds, ground up or equivalent amount in powder.

 

Grated rind of 2 key or mexican limes. OK, use any fresh lime/lemon you have. I

have used Meyers lemon rid and it is also yummy.

 

Rice wafer paper or any baking edible paper. This is very important. Makes pan

clean up very easy too.

 

Preheat oven to 350F.

 

Beat egg whites until stiff, then mix sugar into egg whites (a little at a

time), add ground pistachios, folding them into the meringue. Add cardamon and

grated lime rind.

 

Drop a tbsp at a time in parchment paper or rice paper wafers. Leave enough room

around there because they will flatten. I cannot tell you how long these take,

10 to 15 minutes? Watch them often. Some folks like them crispier, others

chewier. You will need to let them cool, and gently remove the extra paper from

around the cookies.

 

Variations:

 

HAZELNUTS. Grind 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts to make hazelnut flour. Make them just

like described above, but omit the citrus rind and cardamom. Melt some chocolate

in double boiler. After cookies come out of the oven, go all Jackson Pollock and

drizzle/spread/pour chocolate on cookie tops. Leave the rice paper there to

protect the pan and counter from your art work. When they are cool enough, break

them apart and set them in tray/box, they will look very pretty with the

chocolate drizzles. They will disappear fast too.

 

ALMONDS. Here I have the blue diamond cans (2 of them) with 3 lbs slivered

toasted almonds. So make the almond meal again, beat your egg whites and sugar.

Bake as directed, on the baking paper. While they cool down, start melting some

chocolate in your double boiler. Now 'paint' or drizzle some liquid caramel

sauce on top of the cookies. When they are cold, hold the cookies by the paper

part and dip into the molten chocolate, until the whole face of the cookie is

covered in molten chocolate. Before it hardens, place a few almond slivers

decoratively on top of chocolate layer. It looks so pretty!

 

Note on liquid caramel sauce: I just got this for free, had no idea what to do

with it, never knew such product existed. I love it in these almond cookies!

However, they are fine without it too.

 

PECANS: Use ground pecan meal, and substitute dark brown sugar instead of the

granulated white sugar. Add 1-2 tsp liquid vanilla. When you drop the cookie

dough on the edible paper, place a 1/2 pecan on top of each cookie. These come

out a little flatter and chewier than the others, possible the moisture in the

sugar or vanilla make them a little flatter, less fluffy. They are delicious

though and taste like pecan pie.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for these recipes!! can't wait to try them. 2 questions, never used

edible paper, I will look for some, but wondered if you could use parchment

instead? or maybe the edible paper is better/easier?

also is that right amount for the almond cookies 2 cans , plus 3 lbs sliced

almonds??I reaaly like that these don't use added fat other than the nuts!

thanks again!Danielle

[Guest guest]

No, the amount is 1 1/2 cups of ground nut meal, sometimes I up it to 2 cups.

Leave some slivered almonds for the top. I was just saying I received two three

pond cans of slivered almonds.

 

Not sure if parchment paper would work since the cookies come out with the

edible paper stuck on the bottom so it makes like a little wafer and it helps

keep the cookies together better. I will look for the company that makes the

edible paper that I ordered, I just googled edible baking paper. The order came

with 100 sheets so it lasts a while.

 

, " DanielleB " <mylameoww wrote:

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>

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> Thanks for these recipes!! can't wait to try them. 2 questions, never used

edible paper, I will look for some, but wondered if you could use parchment

instead? or maybe the edible paper is better/easier?

> also is that right amount for the almond cookies 2 cans , plus 3 lbs sliced

almonds??I reaaly like that these don't use added fat other than the nuts!

thanks again!Danielle

>