Homemade Almond Paste

I hope all who are celebrating Father's Day enjoy the day and are appropriately spoiled by their children. I found this quotation I thought you might enjoy. "By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong." -- Charles Wadsworth

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Sometimes necessity really is the mother of invention. I committed to make a European-style muffins, flavored with almond paste, for a Father's Day brunch. They aren't difficult to make and they really are delicious. Under normal circumstances, it would be a pleasure, not a problem, to make them for everyone. Lest you think Murphy sleeps once you're in retirement, we really need to have a chat. I live in a community where you can buy almost any ingredient, at least at Christmas time. Once stocks of specialty items like candied fruit are gone, that's it for the year. The trend is creeping down the food chain and we've all learned to buy a year's supply of pumpkin and fresh cranberries while they are available. I was taken aback today, when what I thought would be a quick dash to market, turned into a cook's tour of community grocery stores. I was looking for almond paste. I couldn't find any and in a fit of pique spoke badly of all grocers west of the Hudson River. My thoughts were very colorful and I apologize to any whose relatives I denigrated. Fortunately, my better angels, armed with steely resolve took control and came up with a plan to make almond paste and get on with the remains of the day. I used the recipe from an old Taste of Home yearbook and I was really happy with the results. I actually made two versions of the almond paste. One was a from scratch effort that required blanching of whole almonds before they were ground and mixed with the sugar and egg white. The second effort used prepackaged pulverized almond meal. Interestingly enough, there was no difference in the taste of the two batches. There was, however, an enormous differences in the color of the paste they produced. The one made from the purchased meal was an unappealing tan in color and could not be used in recipes where color is important. The batch made from the blanched almonds was far more appealing and is the one I used to cook with today. The almond paste is easy to make if you have a blender or food processor, and while I wouldn't recommend its use in all applications, it worked well in the muffins I prepared. Here's the recipe. This is a great one to keep in your files for a rainy day.

Homemade Almond Paste...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups blanched almonds
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 egg white
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Place almonds in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, egg white, extract and salt; cover and process until smooth. 2) Divide almond paste into 1/2-cup portions. I like to roll each portion into a sausage shape and store them in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 3 months. Yield: 1-1/2 cup.








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Sumarterta - Icelandic Summer Skyr Tart

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Its name lured me as surely as the siren's song lured mariners of myth to death on rocky shoals. How can you resist something called a Summer Skyr Tart? I had visions of blond nymphs dancing in the pale glow of midnight sun, sipping champagne as they nibbled on elegant and Lucullean tarts. The romance of it all caused me to commit to its creation before I did my research and learned that skyr does not reference the midnight sun. It's a popular dairy product that is similar to strained yogurt, or soft cheese, and it's used extensively in Icelandic cooking. So much for romance. I also learned that skyr is thicker than yogurt and a bit sweeter. The product is not available here, so I decided to go with a Greek yogurt cheese that I've used for other purposes. As I browsed through the recipe it became clear that this dessert was not going to fall into the "sweet thing" category. It consists of cookie base that is covered with a barely sweet mixture of egg whites, cream cheese and yogurt. It is finished with a sprinkling of toasted almonds and strawberries. The recipe was developed by Beatrice Ojakangas, but I found it on a great blog called The Bohemian Kitchen. This is a large, thin tart. It will not set if you use a smaller pan and go for height rather than diameter. I used a 12-inch spring form pan to make my tart. I also made some adjustments to the recipe which I've highlighted in red. I added a small amount of almond extract and a pinch of salt to the cookie base. I also covered it with a 1/2 cup of warm strawberry jam before adding the yogurt layer. Please note that the recipe uses raw egg whites. Some of you might be more comfortable using pasteurized eggs or powdered egg whites. I like to use reconstituted egg whites because it alleviates the problem of having to store unused yolks. The tart will not set in the hour suggested in the recipe, so plan on at least 6 to 8 hours chill before serving. Now comes the hard part. I won't be making this again. It is a nice dessert, but it is very understated and almost boring. I suspect the results might be different if the tart were made with skyr, but until I can find a source for it, I'll stick with strawberry short cake. I hope some of you will try the Sumarterta and let me know what you think. Here's the recipe.

Sumarterta - Icelandic Summer Skyr Tart...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Beatrice Ojakangas and the Bohemian Kitchen

Ingredients:
Tart Base
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup softened butter
1 whole egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup warmed strawberry jam
Filling
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup yogurt cheese
1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese
Garnish
12 strawberries, cleaned & halved
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 11 or 12-inch spring form pan and dust it with flour.
2) Combine flour, sugar, salt and butter. Mix with finger tips until coarse crumbs form. Add almond extract to egg and stir into crumb mixture, mixing well. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden. Set aside to cool. When cool brush surface with strawberry jam.
3) With a mixer, combine yogurt cheese or skyr with cream cheese and beat until combined and smooth.
4) In a clean bowl, whip egg whites with a small dash of salt until frothy. Add sugar and continue beating until the whites become stiff.
5) Fold cheese mixture into egg whites. Spread over cooled crust.
6) Sprinkle with toasted almonds and decorate with strawberry halves.
7) Chill tart for at least 6 hours. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.






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Blueberry and Almond Coffee Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...You know the old saw, "...I cannot tell a lie." I usually ascribe to that, but there are times when the truth is murky and has to be explored a layer at a time. Today's recipe is like that. The truth is this is a wonderful cake. The other truth is that making this cake as directed could cause you a world of hurt. There are a couple of problems. It starts with non-specific instructions for pan size and that, of course, leads to a problem with baking time. Problems with baking time lead to a cake that is either brown and dry or damp and ridiculously sticky. I suspect this recipe, from Epicurious by way of Gourmet magazine, was never tested in a home kitchen. The good news is that it's tasty enough that others who found it on the Epicurious website, have played with it and made it workable. So, when a 2-1/2 quart casserole becomes a 9 x 13-inch pan and the amount of topping is doubled, you end up with a cake that fulfills its original promise. I take the added precaution of lining the pan with parchment paper so the cake can easily be released. Problems with sinking berries have been reported and some have found that dusting the berries with flour helps. Others aren't convinced. Some simply don't care. Fruit at the bottom of a coffee cake doesn't bother me, so I'm not concerned if my berries sink. If you use frozen berries, don't thaw them before adding them to the cake batter. This is a thick batter and you don't want it to turn purple with juice from mashed berries. This cake is truly lovely when it is served barely warm. It can be made a day before you need it and reheated just before serving. Having told you so much about what was wrong with this cake, I hope you'll remember I also said this is delicious. The cake is very easy to make. The changes needed to make it workable and something you'll be proud to serve are in the recipe below. They are highlighted in red. Here's how the cake should be made.

Blueberry and Almond Coffee Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups plus 6 tablespoons sugar
2 whole large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup milk
2 to 2-1/2 cups blueberries (15 ounces)
1 large egg white
2 cups sliced almonds

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-1/4-inch baking pan ceramic or glass baking dish. Line the bottom of pan with parchment paper and butter it as well. Set aside.
2) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and 1-1/4 cups sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in whole eggs, 1 at a time, then almond extract. Alternately add flour mixture and milk in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating on low speed after each addition until just incorporated. Fold in berries. Spoon batter into baking dish, spreading evenly.
3) Lightly beat egg white with a fork and add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar and almonds, stirring to coat.
4) Spoon topping over batter and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack, then invert again. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 8 servings.







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German Chocolate and Almond Cocoa Cream Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over time, I've collected many recipes and lots of ideas from Taste of Home magazine. The recipe for this cake, originally called Chocolate Lover's Delight, was developed by Sandra Hackney and it appeared in the magazine about a year ago. It's a wonderful cake and the recipe featured below is the one that was published in the magazine. What I want to talk about, however, is how the processes of making this delicious cake can be simplified. I have never found that German chocolate produces especially flavorful cakes. As a matter of fact, I think cake layers made with this type of chocolate are merely colorful vehicles for highlighting the tastes of other fillings and frosting. I've made this cake several times now, and I can tell you with certainty, that the icing is what sets this cake apart from others you may have tried. The secret to this cake is found in its grace notes, not in its layers. With that in mind, I decided to try the cake using a German chocolate cake mix. I made the cake following directions on the back of the box, save for the fact that I used three, rather than two, 9-inch cake pans to hold the batter. I've found that doing this eliminates the need to split layers once the cake has cooled. This of course alters baking time. Mine take about 20 minutes to bake, but timing is a fickle thing and you'll want to watch your layers carefully. The almond flavor in the finished cake comes from almond extract, so I've also decided to eliminate the ground almonds used to sprinkle on the layers. They add cost, not flavor, to the finished cake and have no texture that might make their use worthwhile. In the interest of transparency, I must tell you that I made extra icing, increasing the recipe by 1/2, to assure discernible layers and complete coverage of the cake for its photograph. I hope that, in its original or simplified form, you'll give this cake a try. It is really delicious. Here's the original recipe.

German Chocolate and Cocoa Cream Cake ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Sandra Hackney

Ingredients:
Cake Layers
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, separated
2 ounces German sweet chocolate, melted
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting and Filling
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup Creme de Cacao
1/2 cup ground almonds

Directions:
1) Grease and flour two 9-in round cake pans; set aside. In large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg yolks, and melted chocolate till blended. Combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda; gradually beat into sugar mixture till blended.
2) In large bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high till stiff peaks form. Fold into batter.
3) Transfer to pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4) For frosting, beat cream, powdered sugar, cocoa, extract, and remaining salt till stiff peaks form.
5) Cut each cake horizontally into two layers; brush layers with cream de cacao. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons almonds. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle remaining almonds over the top. Yield: 10-12 servings.

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Mexican Chocolate Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Food for themed get-togethers rarely causes a problem for a host or hostess, though dessert can occasionally be a challenge. It would be a bit ludicrous to serve flan with football fare, so over the years I've found or developed recipes a bit more fitting for these informal gatherings. My dessert plans for our Southwestern-style Super Bowl gathering, include a moist fudge-type brownie made with Mexican chocolate and ground chiles, and a homemade dulce de leche ice cream that I'll serve with a salted caramel sauce. I'll save the recipe for the ice cream for another day and just concentrate on the brownies tonight. Mexican chocolate can be difficult to find, so rather than rely on the vagaries of the market place, I use a recipe whose ingredients create a reasonable facsimile of the real deal. I think most of you would agree that brownies are among the easiest desserts that can be made. This one is no exception. My recipe for Mexican chocolate brownies is inspired by one that appeared in Gourmet magazine over 15 years ago. While it is not my favorite brownie, it is my favorite for Mexican or Southwestern themed events. I've simplified the original recipe by using store-bought almond meal, and I have added a small amount of ground chili to give the brownies an authentic flavor punch. The chocolate-chili combination is not unusual in Mexican desserts and the flavors work well together. Do not use your standard chili powder to make these brownies. It contains cumin and other additives that don't work well with the chocolate. If you cannot find a New Mexico or an Ancho chili powder, a very small amount of cayenne pepper can be substituted. These brownies are dense and moist and almost like a confection. I think they are deliciously different. I hope you will too. Here's the recipe.

Mexican Chocolate Brownies ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almond meal
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground pure chili powder (i.e. New Mexico or Ancho)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour. Set aside.
2) In a heavy 1-1/2-quart saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Remove pan from heat and let chocolate cool for 10 minutes.
3) Combine almond meal and sugar in bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Stir mixture into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in flour, salt, cinnamon and chili powder until just combined.
4) Spread batter evenly in pan and bake in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Cool brownies completely in pan on a rack before cutting into 16 squares. Brownies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at cool room temperature. Yield: 16 brownies.

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Simply Amazing Fried Ice Cream - $The Thrifty Couple in the Kitchen

Almond and Cherry Torte

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A happy convergence of incidents led to the creation of this buttery torte. While sorting through my pantry, I found a half-used container of glaceed cherries that were still edible and soft enough to use. The prior evening I'd stumbled on a, new-to-me, site called Cake Crumbs and Cooking The feature that day had been a cherry cake that sounded like it would be perfect for tea or dessert. A version of the recipe also appeared in Delia Online and in the BBC Good Food Magazine. Thus, armed with cherries and several recipes, all of which had been well-received, I began to make my first ever cherry cake. The first step was to convert ingredients from metric to standard US measure. That done, I made a few changes to the base recipe to reflect the fact I had no self-rising flour and only half the cherries suggested in the original recipe. Undeterred, I carried on and within two hours had a lovely cake with a soft buttery crumb and marvelous almond flavor. Unfortunately, while they added texture to the cake the taste of the cherries was barely perceptible. In an effort to keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the cake, I halved and rinsed the cherries as had been suggested. I took the additional step of tossing them with flour before adding them to the cake batter. All that changed nothing. They sank anyway and probably lost flavor when their syrup was washed away. The strange thing is that I liked the cake and found the fruit almost superfluous. The cake is barely sweet but the almond meal and topping make it extremely flavorful. It is far more like a Viennese torte that a cherry cake. Would I make it again? Not with glaceed cherries, unless I had leftover bounty from my Christmas cooking. While I've heard some classify this dessert as being cheap as chips, it is not inexpensive to make and, while it is lovely, I like more bang for my buck. For those of you who are curious, here's the recipe.

Almond and Cherry Torte...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, adapted from several British sources

Ingredients:
2 sticks (8-oz.) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 small container (8-oz.) glace cherries, halved and rinsed
1 cup (4-oz.) ground almonds
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup (2-oz.) flaked almonds
Confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of a high sided 8-inch cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease paper. Dust bottom and sides of pan with flour.
2) Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until incorporated. Add almond extract and mix to combine.
3) Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Fold into egg mixture. Fold in cherries, almonds and milk.
4) Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Level top and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake for 1¼ -1½ hrs or until cake has risen and is firm to the touch.
5) Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 30 minutes. Turn pan onto wire rack to cool completely.
6) Dust top of cake with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

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