Chocolate Filled Almond Puffs 1968 (belgium)

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup granulated superfine sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners powdered sugar
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (i use bittersweet)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 2 tablespoons butter

Recipe

• 1 line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 2 place the sliced almonds onto a baking sheet and toast in a 325 degree oven for 7 minutes, and cool.
• 3 place the toasted almonds with the two tablespoons of sugar into a food processor and grind to a fine meal.
• 4 in the bowl of an electric mixer and with the ballon whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy.
• 5 add in the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
• 6 gradually add in the superfine sugar beating until stiff and glossy.
• 7 beat in the almond extract.
• 8 sift the powdered sugar over the glossy whites and using a hand held whisk fold into the beaten stiff whites.
• 9 now fold in the cooled ground almonds.
• 10 drop by tablespoon or using a plastic tip cut bag, pipe 1 3/4 inch high mounds onto your baking parchment sheets. dont overcrowd on sheet. should be able to get 15 on each sheet.
• 11 now -- let sit for 15 minutes out at room temperature.
• 12 now -- dip your index finger into some powdered sugar and make a depression into the centre of each cookie about 1/2 inch wide.
• 13 now -- let sit for a drying time of one hour on the counter.
• 14 preheat oven to 200 degrees f.
• 15 bake after the drying time for one hour.
• 16 turn off oven and now leave in closed oven for one hour more.
• 17 remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.
• 18 place chopped chocolate in a bowl, with the butter.
• 19 heat the cream in a saucepot and add to the chocolate stirring until all melted and smooth. cover with plastic and cool until thickened, usually about 15 minutes or so.
• 20 now pipe the chocolate into the depressions of each meringue.
• 21 store chocolate filled cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.