Almond-Filled Pastry Crescents

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

From Morocco where they are called “Kab el Ghzal” (Gazelle Horns).

Source: Good Housekeeping

Categories: Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
  • 4 Tbsp. ice water
  • 1 can (8 oz.) almond paste
  • 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup almonds, ground
  • 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. Combine flour and salt in a medium-size bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add ice water, a tablespoon at a time; combine with a fork until mixture is thoroughly moistened.

  2. Shape pastry into a ball; divide into 3 equal pieces; shape each piece into a round; flatten slightly. Wrap each third in wax paper. Refrigerate, at least 1 hour.

  3. Place almond paste in a small bowl; break up with a fork. Beat in egg, the 2 Tbsp. of granulated sugar and ground almonds until mixture is thoroughly combined. (Mixture will be sticky.)

  4. Turn almond mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a ball with floured hands. Divide into thirds. Shape each third into a rope 1/2-inch in diameter and 16 inches long. (If mixture sticks, flour hands and surface lightly.) Cut each rope into 16 one-inch pieces. Reserve.

  5. Roll out pastry, a third at a time, to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry board to a 12-inch square. Trim off rough edges. Usinf a ruler and sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut into 16 three-inch squares.

  6. Place one piece of almond paste diagonally across one corner of the pastry square. Lift the point over the paste and roll jelly-roll fashion. Pinch the ends enclosing the almond filling. Curve the pastry into a crescent.

  7. Place, 1-inch apart, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees) 12 minutes, or until edges of cookies just begin to brown.

  8. Place confectioners’ sugar in a pie plate or on large sheet of wax paper. Place cookies, upside down, while still warm a few at a time, into sugar and coat, turning once or twice.

  9. Place cookies on wire racks to cool thoroughly. Store in wax paper separated layer in an airtight tin. Sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar.

  10. makes about 4 dozen

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