Almond Twists Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until blended. Beat in eggs, then ricotta cheese and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or until firm enough to shape., Preheat oven to 350°. Using 1 tablespoon dough for each cookie, divide in half and shape each into a 3-in. rope. (If dough is soft, work in batches and keep remaining dough chilled until ready to shape.) Twist two ropes around each other, pinching and tucking under ends. Place 2-in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely., Drizzle melted baking chips over cookies; let stand until set. Store in airtight containers.

Steps:

• Prepare the egg wash: Combine the yolks, whole egg, and milk in a small mixing bowl and whip with a hand whisk until well combined. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Flour the dough and table as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the table or the rolling pin. Place the dough on your work surface with a long side facing you. Use a pastry brush to coat the surface of the rectangle with some egg wash. Liberally sprinkle the ground almonds over the rectangle, followed by the salt and pepper. Use a sharp paring knife to cut the rectangle into ten 1-inch wide strips. Next, cut each of these strips into three 4-inch-long pieces. Flip each strip so that the almonds are on the bottom. Twist each strip by rolling each end in opposite directions. Always remember to twist so that the topping faces out --that way you can see how they are flavored. Place the strips on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet and bake until well risen and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. These puff pastry items are best eaten the day they are made.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375*F.
• Dice apricots. Place apricots, chocolate chips, cranberries, flour and almond extract in a bowl. Mix well. Add water and mix again.
• Place bread dough, seam sides up, on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice each loaf lengthwise, end to end, cutting halfway through to center of loaf; spread open flat. Lightly sprinkle additional flour evenly over dough.
• Using a rolling pin, roll dough crosswise to a 4" width, creating a well down the center of each loaf.
• Spoon half of apricot mixture down the center of each loaf. Gather up the edges over filling, pinching firmly to seal.
• Place loaves, seam sides down, in an X pattern on baking sheet(or baking stone). Crisscross ends of dough to form a large figure 8, keeping ends of dough 1" from edge of pan and leaving two 1 1/2" openings in center of twist.
• Lightly brush egg white over dough using a pastry brush. Cut a 3" slit in each of the top sections of the twist to reveal filling.
• Sprinkle almonds evenly over dough, pressing gently.
• Bake 30-32 minutes or until deep golden brown.
• Remove from the oven. Cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if you like. Cut into slices and serve warm. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Sprinkle work surface lightly with superfine sugar.
• Unfold pastry and roll out to 12" square.
• Break apart almond paste into little pieces and scatter evenly over half of the dough.
• Fold dough in half over almond paste. Roll out to 10 x 12".
• Add more sugar to work surface as needed to keep dough from sticking.
• Fold dough in half again and roll out again to 10" x 12".
• Cut in half to make 2 rectangles each 5" x 12".
• Using a pizza wheel, cut each rectangle into 12 strips, each 1" x 5".
• Twist each strip into a loose corkscrew and put on ungreased cookie sheets 1" apart.
• Bake 15 - 18 minutes, until puffed and golden.
• Remove to wire rack to cool.
• In two small microwaveable bowls, separately melt the chocolates.
• Drizzle both chocolates over the cooled twists.