Recipe: Chewy Pine Nut-Almond Drops

the appetizer:

Desserts 4 Today: Flavorful Desserts with Just Four Ingredients by Abigail Johnson Dodge, includes recipes like Kiwi Lemon Mousse; Chewy Pine Nut-Almond Drops; and Maple-Glazed Figs with Hazelnut Mascarpone.

Chewy Pine Nut-Almond Drops

Makes 15 Cookies

Almond paste firmly packed, 2/3 cup (7 ounces), cut into pieces
Confectioners' sugar, 1 cup + more for dusting
White from large egg 1
Pine nuts 2/3 cup

1. Put the almond paste and confectioners' sugar in a food processor. Process until fine crumbs form, about 30 seconds. Add the egg white and process until well blended and smooth. Refrigerate the dough (still in the bowl) while the oven heats.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 large cookie sheet with a nonstick liner. Put the pine nuts in a small ramekin.

3. Using a mini ice cream scoop, shape the dough into 1-inch balls, Dip the top half of the balls into the pine nuts. Arrange, nut side up, on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

4. Bake until puffed, slightly cracked, and golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.

Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool complctcly. Just before serving, sift a little confectioners' sugar over the cookies. Serve immediately or cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Switch-Ins

In place of the pine nuts, switch in one of the following:

Mini chocolate chips, 2/3 cup
Slivered almonds, chopped, 2/3 cup

Gussy It Up

Mix 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots into the dough before shaping and baking

Coat the cookie tops with Chocolate Drizzle (page 178 of the book).

Tech Talk

Almond paste is made with almonds, sugar, and liquid (cane syrup or glycerin). It's available in tubes and cans. I find the tube variety to be the easiest to work with. Don't substitute marzipan for almond paste. While they're essentially the same, marzipan contains more sugar and is more pliable, making it better for shaped candy and confections.