Almond Pastry Sticks

 

I've been baking these Almond Pastry Sticks since 2015 after I first saw them on Saving Room for Dessert's blog.  The original recipe was a Pillsbury Bake Off winner. 

These cookies are flaky and delicate with a distinct almond flavor with help from the almond sugar mixture.  I would say they are very close to a Danish Almond Kringle if you've ever had the opportunity to taste one. They pair well with my Chocolate Pecan Tassies on a cookie tray.  

This year I also tried Ritz Cracker Toffee which I loved, however it didn't go over well with the grandsons.  You can Google them and find lots of recipes.  I used Half Baked Harvest's version.  My candy cane cookies, and both sugar cookie recipes are on my sidebar right now but you can also find them in "Christmas Cookies" under Labels, below right. 

Almond Pastry Sticks

Printable Recipe

Makes approximately 2 dozen stick cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract

1/2 cup salted butter (one stick)
4 ounces cream cheese (original recipe calls for 6 ounces, I only had 4 oz in my frig)
2 tablespoons of sour cream (Note: I subbed 2 T sour cream to make up for the missing cream cheese)
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Yolk of 1 egg, separated (white is reserved for glazing)

1 tablespoon softened butter for filling

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon coarse sugar for topping (I used Lars Swedish Pearl Sugar)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
 
In a small bowl combine the sugar and almond extract; set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.

In a large mixing bowl combine 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) butter and cream cheese. Beat on low until blended. Add the egg yolk and blend until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined, do not overwork

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead by hand about several times until the dough comes together and is pliable. Roll or press into an approximate 12x12 inch square. Spread with the remaining 1 tablespoon of softened butter.

Cut the dough in half and place one half on the prepared cookie sheet, butter side up.

Spoon the sugar mixture all over, to within  about ½-inch of the dough edges. Place the remaining dough half, butter side down, over the sugar. Press the edges tightly to seal.

Brush the dough with a lightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with almonds and coarse sugar.

Bake about 25 minutes or until just golden brown. Do not overbake. 

Cool at least 30 minutes.

Cut the pastry in half lengthwise and then into ½ to 1 inch strips crosswise.

Store in an airtight container.

ENJOY! 

Sbrisolona Cookies and a Tea Lover's Advent Calendar

Hello...I'm still here!  I have definitely been Missing In Action the past few months. So much going on! I'm trying a new email service to deliver my posts by email.  I imported subscribers from my last service.  If you no long wish to receive emails from me, please unsubscribe by using the link the the email that was sent to you.  Thanks! 

The holiday season is creeping up on us quickly!  Not only do I have a gift idea for those of you who are tea lovers or for friends and family who love tea, but I also have a delicious new cookie recipe for you!  

This lovely Adagio Tea Advent Calendar is available for purchase now!  You want to order quickly so you can open the first door and enjoy your first tea surprise on December 1st!  This is not a paid post. I received this calendar from Adagio Teas in order to review their lovely Advent Calendar again this year.  I'm very grateful as I love tea!  Thank you, Adagio Teas! 

24 Festive tea blends of tea to savor before Christmas Day are available in either lovely pyramid tea bags or as loose tea.  You may pick which you prefer when you order. 

You may be wondering what Sbrisolona Cookies are.  They are the most delicious, crunchy, crumbly, shortbread-like cookie made with almond flour and chopped almonds!  Usually called Torta Sbrisolona, because it made in one large piece, it normally contains fine corn meal and broken into rough pieces. There are many different variations!  I found a wonderful recipe which did not include corn meal and was cut into wedges, which I adapted and and absolutely loved.  I will definitely be making these again and again and will most likely show up on my Christmas cookie tray.  

The first time I tasted Sbrisolona was at a lovely Italian Restaurant in our area called Ca' Lucchenzo.  They were served along with a glass of Vin Santo sweet wine at the end of dinner but they are equally delicious any time of day...and especially with tea or coffee!  I decided to enjoy them with one of the teas from the Adagio Tea Advent Calendar.  

Ooops!  I've given away one of the teas included in the Advent Calendar! 😉 It's called Blueberry White Tea. It was absolutely delicious.  Just a hint of blueberry flavor and the white tea blend was very good and so refreshing.  I love their pyramid tea bags.  

Order your 2023 Advent Tea Calendar from Adagio Teas by clicking on the link Tea Advent Calendar and I hope you try making Sbrisolona Cookies! 

Sbrisolona Cookies

Printable Recipe

Makes 12  servings

Equipment: 9-inch square pan lined with parchment or a 9-inch springform or tart pan with removable bottom.  👉 If you wish your cookies to be even more crispy, use a slightly larger pan.  

1 ½ cups all purpose flour (270 grams) 👉 I used White Lily White Baking Flour

1 ½ cups almond flour (160 grams)

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 👉I used salted butter and reduced the salt by half

½ cup whole almonds, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 large egg

½ teaspoon almond extract 

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Topping:

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds (or decorate with whole almonds)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). 

Line a 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper with the parchment overlaping the sides (to use as a handle to lift out the cookie) 👉 Photo Below. Or, grease a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan or a tart pan with a removable bottom. 

I used a food processor to coarsely chop the whole almonds and then finished chopping them to get the size I wanted (about the size of large diamonds) on a cutting board with a chef's knife.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, almond flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Mix well to combine. 

Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or two knifes, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. The butter should be well distributed throughout the mixture, and be about the size of peas or smaller.  Stir the roughly chopped almonds and lemon zest into the crumbly mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg, almond extract and scraped insides of vanilla bean (or vanilla extract) together. Pour egg mixture over the dry ingredients. Using your hands, or a large fork, gently mix and press the mixture together until it begin to come together. Do not to overwork the dough; it should still be quite crumbly.

Transfer the crumbly dough into the prepared pan. Press it down firmly and evenly to form an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle a tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top and press in coarsely chopped almonds.  I used a smaller square pan to press down on the mixture (covered with another piece of parchment paper) in order to get it evenly distributed in the pan. 

Bake the sbrisolona in the preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. The center may still be slightly soft, but it will firm up as it cools.

Remove the sbrisolona from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once the cake has cooled, carefully remove it from the pan.  You may cut it or break it into pieces after it has cooled.  

👉 If the cut cookies lose their crispiness, put them on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 oven for about 15 minutes, as you would second-bake biscotti.  After they cool they will be nice and crispy again!

Cookies may be stored in a container at room temperature for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.  

Recipe adapted from This Italian Kitchen

Danish Almond Wreath Cookies

I'm back with another Danish wreath shape and this time it's for your holiday cookie tray.  These are also from the cookbook The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas that I mentioned in my last post.

The ingredients are simple and I had everything on hand that I needed to make these, including my almost antique Super Shooter cookie press!  Great manufacturing because it still works. You could also use a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch star tip to form the wreaths.  I added slivered almonds for the bows on my wreaths. White on white is a very popular theme in Scandinavian baking :) These are crunchy and delicious and even better the second day. 

  

May the joy and wonder of Christmas be with you!

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Danish Almond Wreath Cookies

Adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas
Printable Recipe

These are the best known of the Danish cookies. Eating them freshly made is much better than buying them in a tin which has traveled a few thousand miles!

Makes about 8 dozen cookies

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 egg
1/4 cup finely minced almonds (I added almost 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla (almond extract would also taste great in these, or you could use half vanilla and half almond extract)
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

In a bowl, cream the sugar and butter until blended. Add the egg, almonds, vanilla and flour and mix until dough is smooth. Chill 30 mintes. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F.

Pur the dough into a cookie press or pastry bag with a 1/2" star tip. Press out into circles about 2" in diameter. You may add slivered almonds for the 'bows' on the wreaths.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes - or until golden.