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| All-Occasion Cookies 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup lard 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 1 tbsp. vanilla 3 cups sifted flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter and lard in a big bowl (it can be a mixer). Gradually add the sugar, making the mix soft. Add the 2 eggs and mix again. Then add all of the remaining ingredients and mix well. Take the mix out of the bowl and start kneading it with your hands. Then, with a roller, smooth the mix until it's thin. With a cookie cutter make the shape you want. Place on cookie sheets and put into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool and serve. Serves how many: Makes about 80 cookies Takes how long to make: 1 hour |
| Amaretti Cookies 8 ounces canned almond paste (do not use the tube almond paste) 1 cup sugar 2 large egg whites Granulated sugar for dusting cookies Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set oven to 375 degrees. Break the almond paste into small pieces and combine with the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until very fine. Add egg whites in three additions, mixing well after each addition. Beat the paste until very smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip with mixture. Pipe the mixture onto the paper in 1 1/2 inch mounds, about 1 inch apart. Take a damp paper towl and lightly slap the surface of each cookie to smooth out the surface. Sprinkle sugar on each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cookies have risen, are a deep golden color and have tiny cracks. Remove from the oven and place pan on a rack to cool. When cool gently peel cookies from parchment. If they stick to parchment, turn the paper over, take a damp paper towel and gently blot the bottom of the parchment paper to loosen cookie. Makes 3 1/2 dozen. Adapted from Great Italian Desserts by Nick Malgieri |
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