Ukrainian Almond Crescents Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Beat butter and confectioners' sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt; mix briefly to incorporate. Gradually stir 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour into the creamed butter, add almonds, and mix until dough is just combined.
• Shape dough into tiny crescents; place on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies in preheated oven until edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Roll cookies in sifted confectioners' sugar when cooled.

Steps:

• 1. Pastry: Mix flour and yeast in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry fork until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the egg yolks and sour cream and mix well. The mixture will still crumble. Form the dough into a ball using your hands, working it as little as possible. The less you knead, the more tender the dough will be. Stop at the point the dough is tacky. Wrap in wax paper and chill for at least two hours. Prepare the filling my mixing the almonds and sugar in a small bowl. Separately beat the egg white into the salt until stiff but not dry, and carefully fold into the nut mixture. Preheat the oven to 375F. When the dough is chilled divide it into three balls. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out three circles about 1/8 inch thick. Work on a well floured surface to prevent the dough from sticking. Cut each circle into eight pie-shaped wedges and spread the wedges with the filling. Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge up like a little croissant and then pull the ends to curve inward to form a "horn" Make sure the point of the horn is on the bottom, or they will open during baking. Place the crescents on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for about 30-40 minutes until golden.

Steps:

• Pastry: For the pastry, mix together the flour and yeast in a medium bowl.
• Cut in the butter with a pastry fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Stir in the egg yolks and sour cream and mix well.
• The mixture will still be crumbly.
• Form the dough into a ball using your hands, working it as little as possible.
• The less you knead, the more tender the pastry will be.
• The dough will be tacky.
• Wrap it in waxed paper and chill it for at least 2 hours.
• Prepare the FILLING by combining the ground almonds and sugar in a small bowl.
• Beat together the egg whites and salt until stiff, but not dry, and carefully fold them into the nut mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• When the dough is thoroughly chilled, divide it into three balls.
• Using a floured rolling pin, roll out three circles about 1/8" thick.
• Work on a well-floured surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
• Cut each circle into eight pie-shaped wedges and spread the wedges with the filling.
• Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge up like a little croissant and then pull the ends into a curve to form a"horn.
• "Make sure the point is on the bottom so the"horns" will not open up while baking.
• Place the almond crescents on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for about 30- 40 min, until golden and puffed.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix butter and sugar in large bowl with wooden spoon until blended. Gradually add flour, stirring after each addition until blended. Stir in nuts.
• Shape into 2-inch crescents, using 1 Tbsp. dough for each. Place, 2 inches apart, on parchment- or foil-covered baking sheets.
• Bake 12 to 15 min. or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package. Dip one end of each cookie in chocolate; top with nuts. Return to wire racks; let stand until chocolate is firm.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray several cookie sheets with cooking spray.
• With a mixer, beat the butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla extract and almond extract, beat until incorporated.
• Stir in the flour and almonds. Work flour mixture into a firm dough.
• Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, lightly roll and then shape it so the middle is thicker than both ends. Bend dough log into a crescent shape.
• Place on greased cookie sheets and repeat until all dough is used.
• Bake 12-15 minutes or until light brown.
• Sift powdered sugar into a small shallow bowl.
• While the cookies are still warm , roll the crescents in the powdered sugar.
• Cool on racks.