Recipe#7352

Title: Amaretti

From: Katie E Green kgreen@u.washington.edu 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 Subject: Amaretti 
 Date: 18 Oct 1996 05:29:56 -0600 
 Message-ID: Pine.OSF.3.95.961013053942.32023G-100000@saul1.u.washington.edu 

The Italian name for macaroons, amaretti, literally means "little bitter
 things," after the bitter almonds that are used in their preparation.  In
 the United States, it is essential to use canned almond paste to achieve
 the taste and texture of the Italian original.  The canned almond paste is
 flavored with oil of bitter almond, giving it the characteristic flavor.
 It has also been crushed very finely between granite rollers during the
 manufacturing process, which imparts a degree of smoothness impossible to
 duplicate with a food processor or blender.  Although cellophane-wrapped
 tubes of almond paste will do for making an almond-paste covering for some
 of the cakes in other chapters, avoid using it for the amaretti, since it
 would make them rather flat both in flavor and appearance.
   8 oz. canned almond paste
   1 cup sugar
   2 large egg whites
   granulated sugar for finishing
 Break the almond past into small pieces and combine it with the sugar in
 the bowl of a heavy duty mixer.  Mix on low speed with the paddle until
 very fine.  Add the egg whites in 4 additions, mixing about 1 minute
 between each.  Beat the paste until very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
 Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tube (Ateco #6) with the
 mixture.  Line 2 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans with parchment.  Pipe
 the mixture onto the paper in 1 to 1 1/2 inch mounds, about 1 inch apart.
 Fold a clean kitchen towel into a long strip and moisten the towel with
 water.  Squeeze lightly to eliminate excess water, leaving the towel more
 than damp.  Slap the surface of the amaretti gently with the towel to
 moisten them and make the surface smooth.  Sprinkle the amaretti with the
 granulated sugar.
 Bake the amaretti at 375F for about 15 to 20 minutes, until they are well
 risen and a deep golden color and their surface is covered with tiny
 cracks.  Remove from the oven and place the pans on racks to cool.
 To remove the amaretti from the paper, turn the paper over, with the
 amaretti still adhering to it, and wet the paper with hot water, using a
 brush.  Leave for a few minutes and then pull on the paper to release
 the amaretti.
 Makes about 3 dozen.
 VARIATIONS:
 Amaretti ai Pignoli
 After moistening the piped amaretti with the towel, strew them with 1 cup
 pine nuts, sprinkling them on heavily and then pressing lightly with your
 fingertips so that they adhere.  Do not dust with sugar.  Bake as for the
 plain amaretti.
 Fior di Mandorla
 This variation of amaretti is popular in southern Italy and Sicily, where
 green or red food coloring is sometimes added during the mixing.  The
 rough, craggy appearance of these amaretti is a nice contrast to the
 smoothness of the standard ones.
 Prepare as for the plain amaretti, up to and including moistening them
 with the towel.  Allow the piped mixture to dry at room temperature,
 uncovered, at least 12 hours or overnight.
 After the amaretti have dried, dust them heavily with confectioner's
 sugar, giving them at least a 1/4 inch coating.  Then indent each of the
 piped mounds with your thumb and the first and middle fingers of one hand,
 positioning them an equal distance apart from each other around the
 circumference and pinching gently inward, about halfway into the center.
 Bake the fior di mandorla at 375F for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Cool and
 loosen the fior di mandorla as for the plain amaretti.
 (Kay these end up looking like pyramids that squished slightly in the
 middle.  You take your three left fingers of your right and and slightly
 squish the mounds to resemble a ------------- where each side is indented
 slightly.  Danish pastry            .
 shops make a similar pastry        .
 that are called Napolean or       .
 Bishops Hats.                    .
                                       .