Amigthalota (almond pears)
30 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| Karen Mintzias | ||
| 3 | cups | Ground almonds |
| ½ | cup | Icing sugar; sifted |
| ¼ | cup | Egg whites (1/4 c = 2 whites |
| ½ | teaspoon | Grated lemon rind, optional |
| 2 | drops | Almond essence |
| Whole cloves | ||
| Additional icing sugar | ||
| Rose or orange flower water (optional) | ||
Directions
Makes: 30 Cooking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 160 C (325 F) Blend ground almonds with icing sugar measured after sifting. Add lightly beaten egg whites with lemon rind if used and almond essence.
Mix to a firm dough with hands. Clean hands and rub with a little butter to prevent dough sticking while shaping. Break off small pieces of dough the size of a walnut and form into pear shapes.
Insert a whole clove in the top of each to resemble a stem and place upright on a buttered and floured baking sheet.
Bake in a moderately slow oven for 20 minutes, covering with brown paper if tops begin to brown. Sift 2 cups icing sugar into a bowl and dip hot Amigthalota into it. If desired, a little rose or orange flower water may be brushed onto Amigthalota before dipping into icing sugar. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Sift remaining sugar from bowl into base of a container and arrange cooled Almond Pears upright in a single layer. Sift more sugar thickly over tops and sides, seal and store for a day or two before using.
From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by Tess Mallos ISBN: 1 86302 069 1
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias