Prunes In Wine With Toasted Almond Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Blend together egg whites, butter, sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt in a food processor just until smooth.
• Put liner on a baking sheet. Using 2 teaspoons batter per cookie, make 6 mounds, spacing them 3 inches apart, then spread into 4 1/2- to 5-inch rounds with back of a spoon (they will be very thin but try to spread batter as evenly as possible). Sprinkle each round with about 1/2 tablespoon almonds.
• Bake cookies until golden-brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Let stand on baking sheet 1 minute, then, working quickly, remove each cookie with a metal spatula and drape over a rolling pin or a wine bottle (you will need 2 pins or bottles) to form a curved shape. Let stand until crisp, about 20 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Cool liner and baking sheet before making more cookies.

Steps:

• Place prunes in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5 minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, combine wine and honey in a medium saucepan. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from the vanilla bean halves into wine and add pods. Add cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add prunes to wine and bring back to a simmer. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add zest. Remove cinnamon stick.
• Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled. Prunes will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almond flour, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour flour into a small bowl to cool. Watch carefully: Once the flour begins to toast, it will happen very quickly.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar on low speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, brandy and almond extract until well combined.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually add all-purpose flour, salt and toasted almond flour until just incorporated.
• Scrape the dough into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls and place balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until cookies begin to brown at edges. Rotate cookie sheets halfway through for even baking.
• Place 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar into a sieve. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sift a thick layer of confectioners' sugar over the tops. Once cookies are cool, put remaining 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (plus any sugar in the sieve) into a shallow bowl and toss cookies again in confectioners' sugar.