When Pat Condelli began baking cookies in 1956 she was 10 years old. Relatives crowned her the Cookie Queen. So when she opened her cookie business in 1992 she had the perfect name for the company. The cookie queen wants everyone to have as much fun during the holidays as she does--so she has even included her phone number in the book for those who run into a problem or have a question.
These are my Mother's favorite cookies. We used to drive more than 40 miles round trip to buy them (for $9 a pound) at an Italian bakery. Once we ordered them from a catalog, paying $20 per pound - but they were awful. Then I began experimenting with dozens of macaroon recipes. Most of them were disasters. Almond paste is very expensive and so my test cookies were costly. But the effort paid off. I now have a perfect recipe.
Makes: about six dozen half-dollar size cookies.
1 1/4 pounds almond paste
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup egg whites (about seven)
Parchment paper
Using electric mixer, beat 1 1/4 pounds almond paste with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Then add 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar and continue beating until batter is very smooth. The time this takes will depend on the type of mixer you are using. I always use a Recipeaid and this step takes about 8 minutes.
Add 1 cup egg whites and continue beating until dough is smooth.
Scoop dough into three small bowls. Cover. Place dough bowls in freezer overnight.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Using a 1" mini scoop, scoop out small balls of the frozen dough and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Do not use waxed paper. Do not use foil. Do not use a brown paper bag. Do not grease the tray. Do not grease the parchment paper. I have tried all of these methods and, trust me, they do not work. Plain parchment paper works.
If you wish and have the money, you can also top each cookie with pignoli nuts prior to baking. But be forewarned pignoli nuts are more expensive than shrimp.
Bake in 325 degree oven for 16 minutes.
Remove tray from oven and slide paper with cookies still attached onto cooling rack. After 5 minutes, slide another cool cookie sheet under parchment paper and baked cookies and place tray, paper and cookies in freezer for 10 minutes. Then (and only then) carefully remove baked cookies.
Store in air-tight can or in freezer. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
They are wonderful alone, but for a special treat, use them to make ice cream sandwiches. You can use any flavor you wish, but my Mom's favorite is Amaretto.
