Okay, I have been totally defeated by almonds. This is my 2nd almond dessert recipe in as many weeks. I am again not happy with the final result. This time I made cookies. Marcella gives instruction for making them by hand or in the food processor. I chose the latter.
Blanched almonds are pulverized with sugar. Then egg yolks, salt, flour and lemon peel and juice are added. This is all mixed until a smooth lump forms. Here was my first challenge. My dough did not combine. It was like loose coarse crumbs. When I pinched it between my fingers it would not hold together. I was not sure what else I should add. I feared more lemon juice would mask the almond flavor. I thought about adding water but decided to add another egg yolk. My yolks seemed smaller than usual for large eggs. I assumed this was the problem. The third yolk was added, dough processed and lump was formed.
The dough is rolled out, cut into rounds, brushed with egg wash and baked. Here was my second challenge. They did not brown. Assuming I rolled them a little thicker than 1/4”, I cooked them for three more minutes. The bottoms were starting to brown but the tops were blond. I removed them from the oven. Isn’t egg wash supposed to help with browning?
After the cookies cooled, I tasted them. This was the final challenge. As with the last recipe I could not taste the almond. The lemon flavor was present but not overpowering. The cookies are lightly sweetened. My best guess is these are close but not quite.