Deb & Bill
DVC-Trivia Contest, Apr-2006: Honorable Mention
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2000
I've been getting the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies from Food Network. This was day 7. I made it tonight for my husband and he loves it. It made quite a bit, so we might take some to work tomorrow. I couldn't find the almond oil anywhere in town, so I just melted 1/4 cup butter and added some almond extract to it.
I've never heated sugar to melting point where it caramelizes, but this was so neat. I cheated a bit and used a wooden spoon to stir it around when the sugar looked like it was drying up and forming a hard white crust.
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This hard and sweet brittle can be broken into festive shapes after it has cooled. At the fancy pastry shops in Naples, it's formed into little baskets and filled with tiny marzipan fruits or traditional Christmas cookies.
1/4 cup almond oil
4 cups blanched and sliced almonds
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet with the almond oil. Place the almonds on a separate baking sheet and toast them until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a medium, very heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar liquefies, then turns light golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. It should register 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer; this is referred to as the soft ball stage. Do not stir, but brush the sugar crystals off the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush as necessary. Once the sugar begins to brown, watch carefully and remove from heat as soon as it is the desired color, as the sugar can burn quickly.
Once the caramel is off the heat, immediately add the almonds to the pot and stir quickly to incorporate. Turn out onto the prepared cookie sheet, spreading quickly to an even thickness. Allow the brittle to cool completely, then break into festive shapes.
I've never heated sugar to melting point where it caramelizes, but this was so neat. I cheated a bit and used a wooden spoon to stir it around when the sugar looked like it was drying up and forming a hard white crust.
------------------------------------------------------------------
This hard and sweet brittle can be broken into festive shapes after it has cooled. At the fancy pastry shops in Naples, it's formed into little baskets and filled with tiny marzipan fruits or traditional Christmas cookies.
1/4 cup almond oil
4 cups blanched and sliced almonds
3 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet with the almond oil. Place the almonds on a separate baking sheet and toast them until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a medium, very heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar liquefies, then turns light golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. It should register 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer; this is referred to as the soft ball stage. Do not stir, but brush the sugar crystals off the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush as necessary. Once the sugar begins to brown, watch carefully and remove from heat as soon as it is the desired color, as the sugar can burn quickly.
Once the caramel is off the heat, immediately add the almonds to the pot and stir quickly to incorporate. Turn out onto the prepared cookie sheet, spreading quickly to an even thickness. Allow the brittle to cool completely, then break into festive shapes.
