Catalan Almond Cookies - (Panellets)

Yield > 1
Keys : Cookies Desserts Nuts Spanish Spain European
Mediterranean Spanish
Ingredients :
1 lb Blanched almonds
1 lb Sugar
2 med Potatoes
1 x Egg
1 pkt Vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 tbl Cognac or rum
GARNISH INGREDIENTS
Pine nuts, slivered almonds,
toasted hazelnuts, candied
fruit,
and sugar (all in small
quantities)
Method :
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Grind almonds to a fine
paste in mortar or electric blender (1/2 cup at a time). Boil
potatoes and mash them. Mix all ingredients except garnish in
a large bowl. Work paste with hands until well blended. With
wet hands, form cakes the diameter of a silver dollar, but high
and rounded. Put a toasted hazelnut on some; on others, a
piece of candied fruit. Dip some in pine nuts, sugar, or slivered
almonds. Dip bottom of cookie in flour and put on greased tray
in 500 degree oven for a few minutes. Watch closely and
remove cookies as soon as they are lightly browned. When hot,
cookies will taste not quite done, but they will be just right
when cooled.
• Comments: Panellets are rich almond cookies made in
every peasant household in Catalonia for the eve of All Saints
Day and eaten accompanied by roasted chestnuts and aged
wine. Panellets are best a day or two after baking. They keep
very well and are always made in quantities. The recipe given
above makes enough to fill the cookie jar, but is only half what
any peasant household would undertake at a time.
• If you start with almonds in the shell as the peasants do,
shell and scald them the day before you bake. Spread them
out to dry. If they are not completely dry when you want to
use them, put them in a slow oven for 10 minutes.