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Almond Horn Cookies (Mandelhörnchen)

Preparation time 10 minutes (plus 1 hour of refrigeration and 1 hour to set chocolate)
Bake time 15 minutes
Makes 10 cookies
 

Ingredients

• 200 grams (7 ounces) almond paste, cut into pieces
• 50 grams (¼ cup) sugar
• 1 egg white
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 100 grams (3.5 ounces or 1 cup+3 tablespoons) sliced, blanched almonds
   
• (Optional)  125 grams (4.4 ounces or ¾ cup) bittersweet chocolate (60-64% cacao),  chopped or broken into pieces
   

 Method

1.  Preheat oven to 175C (350F).
    
2. Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside. 
    
3. Measure all ingredients.  
    
4. Place almond paste, sugar, egg white and salt in a food processor.  Pulse on and off until mixture is smooth and creamy – it will be sticky. Be careful not to get the mixture too hot as the egg white may coagulate. 
    
5. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour to stiffen and make it easier to work with. 
    
6. When ready to assemble, place sliced almonds in a shallow bowl.  Fill another bowl with water to wet your hands to be able to work with the soft dough.
    
7. Roll a tablespoon of dough between your wet palms until it is a 10 cm / 4 in log.  Roll the log in the sliced almonds and then carefully place on the prepared baking sheet, shaping it into a horseshoe. Press any loose almonds back onto the cookie. Repeat with remaining dough, making sure to wet your hands before rolling the soft dough for each cookie.
    
8. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until almonds are gently toasted and the cookies is golden brown. Let cool completely.
    
9. If you want chocolate dipped cookies, place the chocolate in a small bowl and melt over a bain-marie or a pot of simmering water.  When the mixture is melted halfway, remove from the heat and stir to finish melting the ingredients. Dip the cookie ends into the chocolate and then return to parchment-lined tray to set, for about 1 hour.
    
10. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.

Published: 1 September 2020