My Tall Short Person loves macaroons. I actually have egg whites aging in the refrigerator to make them for her right now. But my Beloved thought they were too sweet. I have to agree with him, but I liked the idea of macaroons. How light they were. How crunchy. I came acros a recipe for croquants on Sweet Amandine. It is a recipe she adapted from Dorie Greenspan. I thought it sounded interesting and maybe the best qualities of macaroons.
The batch I made did not last the evening. My Beloved liked the nuttiness of them. My Tall Short Person liked that they were similar to macaroons. I liked that they were not as sweet as macaroons but the flavor was very good. The Smallest Short Person even stuck his tongue on one and did not make a scrunchy face. He does scrunchy faces for most everything but momma. These are a winner and they were really easy to make gluten free.
Croquants
3 1/2 ounces mixed hazelnuts and almonds, skins on
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sourgum flour
1/4 cup almond flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahernheit.
Roughly chop the nuts, you want pieces. Or process the nuts and sugar together in a food processor. Again, the nuts need to be small pieces, not flour. If you chopped the nuts separately, mix in the sugar.
Mix in the egg whites. Mix in the flours.
Drop by espresso spoons on to cookie sheets that are covered in parchment paper or silpat.
You want room between because the cookies spread.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes. I actaully rotated the cookie sheets from a top sheet to a bottom sheet at 4 minutes and baked another 4 minutes.
I had to threaten to get this picture. Do not eat all the cookies before I take a picture..... I need proof!
These I will make again. They may end up in the Tall Short Person's Christmas cookie box. She is already got a list!