Almonds (Mandorle)
By Cat, Aug 2008 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
- Includes: 1. Apple-Nut Filling; 2. Brown Sugar & Nut Filling; 3. Almond Filling I (made with chopped nuts); 4. Almond Filling II (made with almond paste)
- See also: Sour Cream Coffee Cake
These fillings were originally part of my Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe, which is made in layers: batter on bottom and top, with a filling in the middle. However, they can be used for other cakes, cupcakes, pastries, sweet rolls – let your imagination go.
Apple-Nut Filling
This recipe is adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (1). The original recipe uses packed brown sugar, but I prefer to use stevia and a bit of blackstrap molasses; however, I give amounts for either sweetener choice.
If you’re avoiding wheat, use same amount of tapioca starch as the thickener; see Non-Flour Starches & Other Thickeners for more.
You need to start the nuts to soak the day before you want to make the cake. (See Soaking & Toasting/Roasting Nuts for instructions).
Option: Use cooked dried prunes or dates, cut into pieces, instead of the apples.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh apples
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar (or ⅛ – ¼ tsp stevia extract powder plus 1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses or Rapadura sugar)
- 1 Tbsp unbleached white flour
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp unrefined sea salt
- ½ cup finely chopped Soaked & Roasted Pecans or Walnuts (and other Nuts)
- saucepan
- wooden spoon
Method:
- Soak whole or chopped nuts overnight, then roast in oven (see Soaking Nuts and Seeds for instructions).
- Chop nuts if not already chopped.
- Measure all ingredients except nuts into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until apples are tender, about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in nuts.
Brown Sugar and Nut Filling
This recipe is adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (1). If you’re avoiding wheat, use same amount of tapioca starch as the thickener.
The original recipe called for packed brown sugar. This recipe doesn’t adapt well to using stevia, so I prefer to use Rapadura sugar, which has a brown sugar flavor since the molasses has not been removed.
You need to start the almonds to soak the day before you want to make the cake. (See Soaking & Toasting/Roasting Nuts for instructions).
Ingredients & Equipment:
- ½ cup Rapadura sugar (or packed brown sugar)
- ½ cup finely chopped Soaked & Roasted Pecans or Walnuts (and other Nuts)
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- small bowl
- wooden spoon
Method:
- Soak whole or chopped nuts overnight, then roast in oven (see Soaking & Toasting/Roasting Nuts for instructions).
- Chop nuts if not already chopped, and place in small blow. Add Rapadura sugar and cinnamon; stir to mix.
Almond Filling I
This recipe is adapted from the Wonderful, Wonderful Danish Cooking, by Ingeborg Jensen (2). Because it does not call for almond paste, I much prefer it to the Almond Filling I recipe (below) that came with the coffee cake recipe.
You need to start the almonds to soak the day before you want to make the cake. (See Soaking & Toasting/Roasting Nuts for instructions)
Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 4 Tbsp soft butter
- ½ cup Rapadura sugar (or ¼ tsp stevia extract)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 – 3 Tbsp rum
- 1 cup chopped Soaked & Roasted Almonds (and other Nuts)
- small bowl
- hand mixer
Method:
- Soak sliced almonds overnight, then roast in oven (see Soaking & Toasting/Roasting Nuts for instructions). Then chop fine.
- Work butter to a cream in bowl.
- If using sugar, add to butter slowly and beat until fluffy. Then beat in egg yolk.
- If using stevia, whisk it into the egg yolk, then beat this into the butter.
- Blend in rum, then fold in ground almonds.
Almond Filling II
This recipe is adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (1), and calls for packaged almond paste. Check the label to ensure it has no undesirable ingredients (such as high fructose corn syrup). Or make your own, which is a bit tedious.
It also calls for powdered sugar; I prefer to use Rapadura brand unrefined powdered sugar. It can be hard to find, but you can make your own from regular Rapadura sugar (see Make your own Unrefined Powdered Sugar); however would use stevia. I provide both options in the recipe
You need to start the almonds to soak the day before you want to make the cake. (See Soaking & Toasting/Roasting Nuts for instructions).
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 3.5 oz almond paste, cut up (if necessary)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (preferably Rapadura brand or Make your own Unrefined Powdered Sugar); (or ¼ tsp stevia extract powder and no sugar)
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup sliced, Soaked & Roasted Almonds (and other Nuts)
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon
Method:
- Soak sliced almonds overnight, then roast in oven (see Soaking & Toasting/Roasting Nuts for instructions).
- Heat almond paste, stevia (or sugar) and butter in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Stir in sliced almonds.
References
- Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, Eighth Printing 1989 (see Beloved Cookbooks)
- Wonderful, Wonderful Danish Cooking, by Ingeborg Jensen (see Beloved Cookbooks)
