Macaroons (Almendrados)

Ingredients

• % cup blanched almonds
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon each, mace
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon rosewater
• 4 drops bitter almond

Method

1. 1

   Pound almonds smooth, adding a little egg-white to prevent oiling, and let stand overnight if convenient.

2. 2

   In morning, beat egg-whites to a stiff froth, adding sugar gradually.

3. 3

   Continue beating, stir in spices and rosewater a little at a time and add pounded almonds gradually.

4. 4

   The mixture should be worked until it becomes a soft dough.

5. 5

   Take up dough with teaspoon and shape into balls with your fingers, floured.

6. 6

   Lay on buttered baking sheet, 2 inches apart, and bake 8-10 minutes in moderate oven (350°F.).

Nutrition per serving

As published

This recipe was extracted from The European cookbook for American homes (from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France) (1936) by Brown, Cora Lovisa Brackett Mrs., page 82. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

MACAROONS (Almendrados) % cup blanched almonds 1 teaspoon each, mace, cinna- 3 egg whites mon, nutmeg Y\ cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon rosewater 4 drops bitter almond Pound almonds smooth as your cheek, adding a little egg- white to prevent oiling, and let stand overnight if convenient. In morning, beat egg-whites to a stiff froth, adding sugar gradually in small quantities. Continue beating, stir in spices and rose- water a little at a time and add pounded almonds gradually. Flavor. The mixture should be worked until it becomes a soft dough — if too thick it will be heavy, if too thin the cake will spread and run over in baking. Take up dough with teaspoon and shape into balls with your fingers, floured. Lay on buttered baking sheet, 2 inches apart, and bake 8-10 minutes in moderate oven (35o°F.). The maca- roons should rise in the middle while baking and crack on the surface. Split almonds may be laid on top before baking. Macaroons and macaroni are Siamese twins in origin, both being the offspring of the Italian root-word maccare — to bruise, crush to a paste. Although accredited to Italy, macaroons are SPANISH 199 now the specialties of many countries, with variations both in flavor (lemon, apple, coffee, chocolate, etc.) and in the nut of which the paste is made (almond, coconut and pistachio). In- deed, the Spanish macaroon is the type best known in this coun- try, for it is made only of almonds and hence called "almendra- dos." The oriental influence so prevalent in Spanish cooking is noted in the rosewater flavoring. PASTRY TWISTS (Roscoqs de feringas) 2 cups almonds 3 tablespoons grated lemon rind 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 egg whites Grind almonds to a meal, add sugar, grated lemon rind, and the whites of the eggs beaten until stiff but not dry. Mix in- gredients lightly and put into a pastry bag with tube. Squeeze out in little twists on a buttered baking sheet and bake in a moderate oven (3500 F.) until golden brown. DOUGHNUTS (Buhuelos) 1 cup water 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1 pinch salt 1 cup flour 2 teaspoons butter 4 eggs Honey Boil water with salt, butter and sugar. Stir in flour, a little at a time, and cook 15 minutes, stirring continually. Cool, then work in the eggs, one at a time. Drop the batter by spoonfuls into deep hot fat and fry the doughnuts a rich brown. Drain on brown paper, brush with honey and roll in powdered sugar. At the fiestas of Spain the honeyed aroma of these tooth- some bufiuelos spices the air. They are as much a part of the great spring cattle fair as the empanads, pastellilos, goats, and 200 THE EUROPEAN COOKBOOK country wine brought in by gypsies and their donkeys, great tuns on wheels, the wine frothing from the spiggot into generous tumblers at two cents a throw. TOWERS (Torres) These are unsweetened doughnuts made by the above recipe for Bunuelos, with the sugar and honey left out. When nicely fried they are drained, slit open down the side and filled with a cooked cream or whipped cream mixed with nuts. Towers are also served with a fruit or wine syrup poured over them. MADRID BISCUIT (Bizcochos de Madrid) Y2 cup butter, melted 7 egg yolks 1 ounce grated orange rind 3 cups flour 2 tablespoons brandy 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt Place butter, orange rind, brandy and 6 egg yolks together in a bowl and mix vigorously for 12 minutes, using a whisk. Sift flour with baking powder and salt, add to mixture and beat to a smooth paste. Take small pieces of dough and shape into twists. Arrange on a well-buttered baking sheet. Brush lightly with remaining egg yolk, beaten, and bake in a hot oven (400° F.). Serve hot or cold. FRIED BREAD IN SAUCE (Tarbinas) l/z cup blanched almonds !/4 cup Malaga wine or filberts 2 teaspoons flour 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups boiling water Several slices bread Pinch of salt Powdered sugar SPANISH 201 Fry almonds in the oil. Cut bread in finger widths and fry. When all are golden brown, drain on brown paper. Put i tea- spoon of the olive oil with the Malaga wine in a saucepan. Stir in flour and simmer for 5 minutes. Gradually stir in the boiling water and salt, stirring continually until the sauce is smooth. Pour hot over bread and nuts, covering them well and powder thickly with sugar. BAKED APPLES (Compota de Manzanas) 8 apples 1 inch stick cinnamon

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.