[Shaped almond-based garnish/ornamentation/topping]

My family's cookie recipe didn't work, I kept getting very pasty/dry/crumbly texture, and ultimately ended up using a failed macaron-type batter (using aqua faba instead of egg whites), and double-baking.. it's the only way to get a crispy/crunch, and they are at just point of burning (cookie tastes.. bold )

 

Also, I'm not so sure about the coconut filling, right texture but strange taste, almost sour.  I made a "dulce de coconut" (reduced coconut milk with coconut sugar for ~4 hours) and blitzed it with some coconut + powdered sugar.  To keep the cookie from getting soft, there's a thin layer of chocolate inbetween.

 

Almonds were slivered by hand, did the simple thing, after all this haha, sorry everyone.

 

The chocolate is too thick, and taste wise probably too much "bite" - it's my own roasted, 73%, I might nix that and go to the store bought stuff.  First time ever making dipped bonbon thingies.  Fun and messy haha.

 

I was afraid everything would be too sweet and cloying, as individual parts are, however, together it all just tastes "unique".  Hah.

 

Oh.. and in my first post I mentioned diet restrictions - they had to be gluten free and vegan, so this was extra challenging (I'm comfortable transcribing some recipes).  With the taste being not quite what I'm expecting, considering just abandoning this, and maybe making heart shaped chocolate chip cookies since I can now do those with my eyes closed.  Still a learning experience!

 

And for the record, I absolutely loathe silicon heart shaped molds now.  Stupid nooks and crannies take forever to clean out failed batches. 

[Shaped almond-based garnish/ornamentation/topping]

Hi, and wow, thank you all for the ideas!  You all provided inspiration, thank you so much for helping someone new here!

 

I think we're getting close, after trying a few variations.  Long story short, the almond butter cookie didn't work for me, they were soft, no texture.  Also did not like adding almond extract, tasted more like marzipan than almond to me. 

 

While waiting for the almond butter cookie to cool, I remembered that my folks make various nut-based cookies during christmas.  The base recipe is similar to a pie crust, and instead of using the nut butter to make a cookie, you simply use ground nuts.  Made a small test batch, it worked well, gave me a "ritz cracker" like bite.  They did poof up and grow, even without baking soda/powder.

 

I have a few more tests I want to run, and then will follow up.  Thanks again

[Tomato Soup]

Apologies for responding to a slightly older topic.  I'm just a huge fan of tomatoes, couldn't help but share this, though a little late to the game.

 

If you want to go a little away from conventional you can also do a consumme.  Blitz ingredients in a blender (tomatoes, garlic, basil, etc, roasted or not, all good), toss them into a nut-milk bag (or flour sack cloth) hang in fridge over night.  You'll get a clear, slightly-reddish liquid, that's your soup.  Mix the left overs with some flour and optionally parmesan, roll out thin, bake to make tomato crackers along with the soup (melt some cheese on the cracker?). 

 

As others have said, the tomato itself is the key.

[Shaped almond-based garnish/ornamentation/topping]

Kerry: no, I'm trying to shape an almond into a number 1, complete with the foot and nose.  Part of an inside joke.

 

I'll be trying the cookie idea when I get home tonight, probably make the butter with the blender not the grinder (I don't have a food processor).

 

Another thought, I could try cutting a shape out of a sliced almond.  It's flat, but it'll be less work than whittling.  From here, there are more options (e.g. stack a few stuck with a drop of syrup, or go minimalist).

[Shaped almond-based garnish/ornamentation/topping]

Lisa: That's a neat idea, thanks.  I made peanut butter blossoms last weekend, first time ever.  They were super soft, I think because it had no flour or other starches, so I'll try adding some and see what happens.  I can use my indian wet grinder that I have to make a super smooth almond butter, but now I'm not sure I want to do that as that tends to result in a very runny product.

 

Kerry: primary: I need a specific shape for the almond portion, secondary, I'm not doing an exact replica, but rather a spin off of it.  I tried whittling the almonds by hand, but it's inefficient, painful, and my whittling skills are rather poor to begin with, my parents did not let me have knives as a kid :p.

 

[Shaped almond-based garnish/ornamentation/topping]

Good morning!

 

Long story short: I am doing a spin off the coconut/chocolate/almond candy (almond joy), and trying to create a specific shape out of the almond.  My hands are cramped after a couple dozen failed attempts whittling roasted almonds, so now I'd like to try a different approach, and instead, create some kind of sub-candy or cookie with roasted almonds that I can put into a mold or use a mini cookie cutter.  I'm fairly new to sweets, my knowledge in this area is pretty slim.  Some ideas so far, I don't like any, but it might help turn some gears:

1. dusting almond over a stencil, but that's not enough almond nor crunchy enough

2. almond brittle, but that's too hard and sweet, I'd like it more of a soft crunch, and bringing the almond flavor forward

3. meringue with almonds (sort of macaron-ish), however, weather has been humid and raining here, and I'm ending up with a gooey mess instead of that soft crunch

 

In addition to having almond-forward taste and soft crunch texture, it'd be fun to explore something modernish - I have a accumulated a few tools and ingredients not customarily found in homes.

 

There are dietary considerations I will have to account for, however, no need to worry about that now, I am just looking for ideas and a place to take it from there

 

Thank you for your time in reading!