Marzipan Cookies

Ok, so I have a confession to make...I woke up earlier this morning so I can post about these phenomenal cookies before I head off to work in a little bit. I'm feeling a little frazzled because I'm making coffee, picking out my clothes, and doing my hair and makeup while trying to finish this post. These cookies are SOOOOOO good that I couldn't even wait until I get home after work to share this fantastic recipe with my readers.

These cookies are a must try if you're a huge fan of almonds like I am...perfectly almondy (is that a word?), crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and simply irresistible. I absolutely highly recommend you go to the grocery store today to bake these little gems.

Marzipan Cookies

(Source: Field to Fork Restaurant)

14 ounces almond paste*

1 cup sugar**

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup egg whites (2 eggs)

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

Powdered sugar for garnish

Warm the almond paste in the microwave until pliable, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool slightly if needed, then break up into small pieces and put in a food processor. Add sugar, salt and egg whites and process until smooth. Pour almonds into a large, shallow bowl. Lightly oil or water your hands. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then drop in the plate of almonds and roll to coat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set cookies on parchment-lined cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Cookies will spread just slightly. Bake in preheated oven 12 to 16 minutes or until light golden on top and just browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

* I used 2 (8 oz) cans of almond paste. Also, do not use almond cake and pastry filling. 

** I think the next time I make these cookies, I'll cut the sugar down to 3/4 cup since the almond paste is already a little on the sweet side. 

Amazing Buttermilk Biscuits

These biscuits are AMAZING! I know it's so bizarre to have cake flour as one of the ingredients, but trust me...it's worth it! I used the Neely's biscuit recipe, but I substituted one cup of flour with cake flour. Little did I know these biscuits would turn out to be the best Buttermilk Biscuits I've made to date. 

Buttermilk Biscuits

(Adapted from: The Neely's)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons ice cold butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Slice butter and put on a plate in the freezer. Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until it looks like coarse sand. Add the buttermilk and continue to cut the dough together. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently bring together. Gently press the dough into a rectangle until it is between 1/2 and 3/4-inch thick. Use a round cutter that has been floured to cut the biscuits. Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. Remove biscuits from freezer and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet so they are touching each other. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with spiced butter.