Baked Goods Swap

We had a wonderful time at the baked goods swap the other night.  I got to take home some of Rosie's almond and honey stuffed pizzelles, some of Heather's homemade pumpkin bread and pumpkin cookies with caramel frosting, Sara's grandma's fudge, and Sarah's snickerdoodles.  In addition, I got to spend a wonderful evening talking, laughing and dining with friends.

I decided to make Mexican Wedding Cakes and Almond Cloud cookies.  The Mexican Wedding Cakes were a favorite of my dad's... my mom would make them for him every year, individually wrapped in red foil.  Even now, years after their divorce, and with him living in Israel, he comments on Facebook about craving them.  They're that good... crisp but tender, buttery with a delicate nuttiness.  The Almond Clouds were new to us last year, when my mother stumbled across the recipe in an old newspaper and decided to give them a whirl.  They're some of the tastiest little treats I've found, easy as pie to whip up, and they're great for gluten-free folks as well as they use no flour.



Almond Clouds

325 degrees
20-25 minutes.

10 oz. almond paste
1 cup sugar

Blend together in a mixer or pulse in
a processor.

Put mixture in mixer and add:

2 lightly beaten egg whites
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp. orange oil or
1 tsp. orange peel

Scoop onto parchment lined
cookie sheets. Dust heavily
with confectioners sugar and
indent 3 fingers into center.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes.
Cool on pan.



Mexican Wedding Cakes
350 degrees
15-20 minutes

1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
1 cup confectioners sugar

Pulse together in processor til
fine.

Cream 1 cup butter in mixer
with ½ tsp vanilla.
Mix together nut mix and
1 3/4 cup flour with a pinch salt.

Gradually add flour mix just
until incorporated.

Chill 1 hour.

Roll into 1 in. balls.
Place 1 1/2" apart on parchment
lined cookie sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until they just
barely begin to brown.
Cool on sheets a few minutes and
roll warm cookies in additional
confectioners sugar.