Serving Size : 35 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Cookie dough
3/4 c Sliced unblanched almonds
2-1/4 c Plus 2 tablespoons
All-purpose flour, divided
2/3 c Granulated sugar
1/3 c Confectioners' sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter,
Chilled and cut into
1/2 -inch cubes
1 lg Egg, chilled
4 ts Vanilla extract
4 ts Finely grated lemon zest
Assembly:
15 oz Swiss dark chocolate,
Coarsely chopped
Make the cookie dough: 1. Position a rack in the
center of the oven and preheat to 375 F. Put three
heavy, large ungreased baking sheets in the
refrigerator
2. In a food processor fitted with the metal chopping
blade, process the almonds with 1 cup of the flour for
3O to 45 seconds, or until the mixture is ground to a
fine powder. Add the remaining 1-1/4 cups plus 2
tablespoons flour; granulated sugar confectioners'
sugar and salt. Process for 10 to 15 seconds, or until
the mixture is thoroughly blended.
3. Evenly distribute the butter cubes in a circle
around the chopping blade. Add the egg, vanilla and
lemon zest. Process for 45 to 60 seconds, or until the
mixture is creamy. (Make sure that the butter is
completely blended into the batter)
4. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a closed star tip
(such as Ateco #6) with one-fourth of the cookie
dough. (Slightly open the teeth on the end of the
pastry tip so that any small nut particles do not get
caught between the points as you pipe.)
5. Remove a chilled baking sheet from the
refrigerator. Starting at the left-hand side of the
midsection of the baking sheet, pipe 1-1/2 inch long
"cats' paws" about 2 inches apart, across the center
of the baking sheet. (This will enable you to pipe
straight and even lines across the baking sheet.)
Continue piping until the bottom half of the baking
sheet is covered with piped cookies. Turn the baking
sheet 180 degrees and continue piping cats' paws onto
the other half of the baking sheet.
6. Refrigerate the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes,
or until the piped cookie dough is firm. Pipe the rest
of the cookie dough onto the remaining chilled baking
sheets and refrigerate.
7. Bake the cookies one baking sheet at a time for 12
to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn the
baking sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
Using a metal pancake spatula, immediately transfer
the cookies to wire racks to cool.
Assemble the cookies:
8. Melt the dark chocolate according to the melting
instructions in the Chocolate Key OR temper the
chocolate following the tempering instructions on
page 72. Scrape the chocolate mixture into a small
heatproof bowl. Place the bowl of chocolate over a
smaller bowl of warm (86 F to 90 F) water.
9. Using a small metal cake spatula, coat the flat
side of half of the cookies with a thin layer of
melted or tempered chocolate. Top each
chocolate-coated cookie half with a second cookie.
Place the cookies on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet
and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes or until the
chocolate is set.
10. Dip the pointed tips of the cookies halfway into
the melted or tempered chocolate. Place the cookies
back onto the waxed paper-lined baking sheet and
refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chocolate is
set. Store the cookies dipped in melted chocolate in a
airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two
weeks. The cookies filled with tempered chocolate may
be stored in an airtight container at room temperature
for up to three weeks.
Source: Chocolatier magazine, January 1991
Makes Approximately 35 cookies
PREPARATION: 1 1/2 hour plus baking, chilling and cooling times.
FROM: Sallie (Austin) Krebs
From: Pat Stockett 1:107/614 Fri 02 Jun 95 05:57
... On the eighth day, God created cats and was
promptly ignored.
~-- GoldED 2.42.G1121 * Origin: The Cafe & General
Store - 'Tween Early & Zephyr, Tx (1:19/102)
