Orange-Cardamom Almond Thins
By Nicole KonstantinakosPublished on July 4, 2023
Time
1 hour, plus 1 hour freezing
Yield
Makes about 60 cookies
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Turbinado sugar, a minimally processed cane sugar, retains some natural molasses flavor and color and has coarse, dry crystals. If you can't find turbinado sugar, you can use demerara sugar, which has slightly larger crystals and tastes a bit more of molasses. Do not substitute other kinds of sugar. If you can't find sliced blanched almonds, you can substitute skin-on sliced almonds. We prefer a straight-sided 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan for the most evenly shaped cookies, but a slightly larger pan, or one with slanted sides, will also work; tug on the plastic wrap in step 4 to straighten sides, if desired.
Instructions
- Line 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with 2 pieces of plastic wrap, perpendicular to one another, leaving 3-inch overhang all around. Whisk flour, cardamom, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.
- Heat butter and water in small saucepan over low heat until butter is just melted; do not boil. Transfer butter mixture to large bowl and let cool to 150 degrees, about 5 minutes.
- Stir orange zest and almond extract into butter mixture until evenly combined, then stir in sugar and almonds. (Some of sugar will melt; this is OK.) Using rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until evenly combined and no dry flour remains.
- Transfer dough to prepared pan and press into even layer using metal spatula. Fold overhanging plastic wrap over dough and wrap tightly. Freeze dough until well chilled and firm, at least 1 hour. (Tightly wrapped dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
- Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from pan using plastic overhang and discard plastic. Let dough thaw slightly, about 10 minutes. Using large serrated knife or chef's knife, slice dough as thin as possible (about ⅛ inch thick) to make 30 cookies (this will use about half of dough). Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets, 15 cookies per sheet. Wrap remaining dough in plastic and return to freezer.
- Bake cookies until edges are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely; they will crisp as they cool. Repeat with remaining dough or keep remaining dough frozen until ready to slice and bake. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
Time
1 hour, plus 1 hour freezingYield
Makes about 60 cookiesIngredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Similar to speculoos but milder in flavor and more delicate in texture, these Belgian-style almond thins, known as pain d'amande, are a great accompaniment to a fruity dessert, such as Cherries Jubilee, or to a bowl of ice cream. They're also perfect for dunking in coffee. This recipe is inspired by the pain d'amande served at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. The cookies were first introduced to pastry chefs there in 1990 by acclaimed baker Flo Braker, and they have been part of the pastry kitchen's repertoire ever since. In this version, the almond and butter flavors are complemented by orange and cardamom. The recipe is simple, but take care to follow the steps closely, particularly the visual cues and temperatures, and you will soon be enjoying these enchanting treats at home.
Before You Begin
Turbinado sugar, a minimally processed cane sugar, retains some natural molasses flavor and color and has coarse, dry crystals. If you can't find turbinado sugar, you can use demerara sugar, which has slightly larger crystals and tastes a bit more of molasses. Do not substitute other kinds of sugar. If you can't find sliced blanched almonds, you can substitute skin-on sliced almonds. We prefer a straight-sided 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan for the most evenly shaped cookies, but a slightly larger pan, or one with slanted sides, will also work; tug on the plastic wrap in step 4 to straighten sides, if desired.
Instructions
- Line 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with 2 pieces of plastic wrap, perpendicular to one another, leaving 3-inch overhang all around. Whisk flour, cardamom, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.
- Heat butter and water in small saucepan over low heat until butter is just melted; do not boil. Transfer butter mixture to large bowl and let cool to 150 degrees, about 5 minutes.
- Stir orange zest and almond extract into butter mixture until evenly combined, then stir in sugar and almonds. (Some of sugar will melt; this is OK.) Using rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until evenly combined and no dry flour remains.
- Transfer dough to prepared pan and press into even layer using metal spatula. Fold overhanging plastic wrap over dough and wrap tightly. Freeze dough until well chilled and firm, at least 1 hour. (Tightly wrapped dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
- Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from pan using plastic overhang and discard plastic. Let dough thaw slightly, about 10 minutes. Using large serrated knife or chef's knife, slice dough as thin as possible (about ⅛ inch thick) to make 30 cookies (this will use about half of dough). Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets, 15 cookies per sheet. Wrap remaining dough in plastic and return to freezer.
- Bake cookies until edges are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely; they will crisp as they cool. Repeat with remaining dough or keep remaining dough frozen until ready to slice and bake. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
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