Mandel Bogen (Almond Crescents)
Ingredients
- 200 gm. almond paste (not marzipan, almond paste is not quite as sweet)
- 100-120 gm. ground almonds
- 3 Tbl. concentrated lemon juice
- 80 gm. icing sugar
- 1 or 2 egg whites
- sliced almonds
- 100 gm. chocolate
Method
Crumble the almond paste with your fingers. Add ground almonds, lemon juice, icing sugar, and 2 tbsp. egg white. (2 tbsp. is less than 1 large white. It's best to measure, as a whole large egg white may make the mixture too gloopy to handle. If almond mixture is sticky, use less egg white.) Combine thoroughly.
Dust a wooden board with icing sugar. Form 16 balls of almond mixture. (1 heaping tablespoon each). Form rolls, then little logs, about 3/4" in diameter and 4" long. The logs should be fatter in the middle, slightly tapered towards the ends. Use the icing sugar to keep the almond mixture from sticking to the board. Add more sugar as needed.
Paint with remaining egg white (use a 2nd white if needed), and roll the logs in sliced almonds, which may be blanched or unblanched, according to taste. (Unblanched almonds have a bitter note, probably tannin.) Roll the logs until they are well covered with almond slices. Bend each log into a crescent shape, and place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 14-17 minutes, until slightly golden.
Allow crescents to cool, then dip the ends into melted bittersweet chocolate. Then let the chocolate cool, if you can restrain yourself.