Monday 14 May 2012

Less is more unless it's chocolate...




I couldn't stop eating the batter whilst making these chocolate amaretti  biscuits...Observing all the health and safety rules of course!



Before adding the chocolate it tasted like the more-ish chewy Persian nougat sweets called Gaz that relatives bring us from Iran. Or are given along with glasses of aromatic sweet tea when shopping in Iranian food stores. Then when baked they were something else...nutty, chewy nougat-like chocolate scrumptiousness. Sandwiched together with hazelnut chocolate paste positively delicious. 

I found the amaretti biscuit  recipe on the last page of randomly selected 'a little taste of Italyby Sophie Braimbridge and Jo Glynn.


The tale of the baking of these little sweet deserts is a bit of a nutty trilogy.  Traditionally Italian Ameretti biscuits are made with almonds and almond liqueur. That was my plan.  Except that I only had 200g of blanched almond slivers in my pantry. But I did have lots of pistachio slivers...also both brought by generous relatives. The third nut was in the chocolaty filling the Italian hazelnut and chocolate spread, Pasta Gianduja...Nutella to you and me but produced in Italy by Ferrero  the company who also make Ferrero Rocher chocolates. 

This is my Chocolate Amaretti biscuit recipe:

Ingredients:
  • 125g/4.5 ounces of blanched almonds and pistachio slivers
  • 1/2 a cup of dark agave syrup
  • 3 tsp's of spelt flour
  • 2 egg whites
  • 4 desert spoons  of cocoa powder
  • 1/3 of a cup of golden caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1/2 of vanilla paste
  • A capful of liqueur.  I didn't have any amaretto so used honey rum liqueur that someone had brought us back from the Canary Islands.
Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180f/350f/gas mark 4 and prepare a baking tray.
  2. Grind the nuts in a blender.
  3. Add the agave syrup, flour, cocoa powder,vanilla and liqueur and mix well.
  4. Separate the eggs and whisk the egg whites until soft peak stage.
  5. Add the caster sugar little by little into the eggs and continue to whisk until shiny and stiff.
  6. Fold the nutty mixture carefully into the eggs until combined. Being careful not to overwork.
  7. Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking tray
  8. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until cooked.
  9. These can be eaten as they or sandwiched together with cream or hazelnut chocolate spread...yummy..




joining the 'we should cocoahere and here and 'random recipe'  challenges this month...







17 comments:

  1. Again you woo me with you delicious cooking.

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  2. Oh my, I think I just drooled on myself! ;)

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  3. I don't think I could possibly blame you for dipping into that luscious chocolate filling- I know if it were me there would be no filling left to pop between the biscuits!

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  4. Oh yum, one of my favourites and the pistachios sounds like a splendid addition. Liked that you used agave syrup and spelt too. Also liked that you're sharing this with WSC - thank you.

    Now, I just need to try some of those Gaz.

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    1. The pistachios work amazingly well with this Choclette. I'm really pleased that the spelt flour did as well...I thought it might be too heavy but fortunately as it was only a small amount I had great results.

      I hope you manage to find some Gaz..if not I'll have to send you some next time we do.

      Deb

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  5. stunning little beauties are they not?... an excellent entry and so divinely chocolatey... I love them, thank you so much for the entry this month, it is always such a pleasure to have you on board x

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    1. Oh thanks Dom...yes they are truly scrumptious!

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  6. Cheers Dom...You're back hope you had an awesome time....

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  7. What a delicious recipe for a biscuit and I love the way you have used quite different ingredients such as agave syrup and spelt flour. I would definitely go for the Nutella type filling just to finish them off perfectly!
    Thanks so much for entering We Should Cocoa this month!
    Laura@howtocookgoodfood
    xxx

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    1. You're welcome Laura. I know...I wasn't sure if it would work with the spelt flour but fortunately it only requires a few tablespoonfuls.

      It's hard to resist Nutella and I'm not a big cream fan...
      D

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  8. Oh these are a definite must for my cookie list! I love biscuits - all shapes and sizes.

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  9. These look fantastic - and I love the random alcohol substitution - I never have quite the right bottle either!

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  10. I'n surprised that this change worked well Ruth...thankfully it tasted very good....
    D

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