Sweet Victory (Cookie Recipes)

(page 8 of 8)

PAMELA FITZPATRICK'S ALMOND POLENTA COOKIES

SECOND PLACE

PAMELA FITZPATRICK'S ALMOND POLENTA COOKIES

Pamela Fitzpatrick / Fox & Obel
401 E. Illinois St.; 312-379-0115
Degree of difficulty •••••
Skill level Intermediate
Hard-to-find ingredient Tutti-frutti
Tasters’ comments “If you like almonds, this is your cookie.” “Love the crunchiness.” “Tastes like Christmas.”

"I've searched in vain for the name of this incredible cookie that I ate all over Florence," says Fitzpatrick. "I added tutti-frutti to the dough and cover the cookies in sliced natural almonds."

1 c. and 2 tsp. powdered sugar
8 oz. almond paste
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. natural almond extract
10 oz. French butter, soft
1 3/4 c. fine polenta, or semolina
2 1/3 c. pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of baking powder
1 c. tutti-frutti, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Mix butter, almond paste, and semolina or polenta with paddle until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla, almond extract, and tutti-frutti, and mix to combine. Combine all remaining dry ingredients-sugar, pastry flour, salt, baking powder. Then, use your hands to combine the dry ingredients with the butter mixture.

Grab golf ball-size pieces of dough and pinch into "haystacks." Brush with egg and push sliced, natural almonds all over outside of each cookie. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet; turn oven down to 325 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. When cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes about 30 cookies

Photograph: Michael Boone Photography

RECIPES:

Amy Sampson's Walnut Cookies »
Cindy Shuman's Honey Pistachio Lace Cookies »
Allison Levitt's Holiday "Mallomars" »
Mary Winslow's Chai Thumbprint Cookies With Honey Cream »
Jacquy Pfeiffer's Zimtsterne, Or Cinnamon Stars »
Gale Gand's Poinsettia Cookies »
Carrie Nahabedian's Cherry Jewels »
Pamela Fitzpatrick's Almond Polenta Cookies »