Almond

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The Almond, a subtleties that takes the shape of an almond.

This vegan dessert was made for the project called The Almond. It refers to subtleties, a middle age tradition of luxurious sculptures built with sugar. It is made out of a biscuit akin to the fortune cookie, perfumed with benzaldehyde (almond extract). This shell hides a layer of torched aquafaba marshmallow and wild rosehip jam.

Almond shells

Quick view at the inside of the almond pastry.

To make 10 half almond shells

Ingredients

  • 6tbsp aquafaba chilled[1]
  • 60g of wheat flour
  • 50g of sugar
  • 1/8tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 2tsp tasteless oil

Note: add almond extract (Benzaldehyde) + cocao for flavour and colour.

Baking technic

  1. Preheat oven at 200°C.
  2. Beat aquafaba, almond extract until frothy.
  3. Sift flour, sugar and salt and fold until combined (Don’t overmix).
  4. Add the oil.
  5. Spread the batter and cook for approx. 5 min.
  6. After cooking and shaping, bake the cookies again at 110°C for 10/15min still in the mold.

Shaping technic

  1. Oil pattern tool + mold + baking mat.
  2. Preheat oven at 180°C.
  3. Make a thin small disc (no too thin, you shouldn’t be able to see the baking mat underneath) of batter on a heavily oiled baking mat with a spoon. Timer for 2mins try 1.45 (oven being 210°C).
  4. Take it out and print the pattern. Just lay it on there and tap it on every side carefully. Be sure not to push it too much as it will make holes in the cookie. Just slightly and keep it straight, do not push it more on the sides.
  5. Add counter shape right in the middle of the pattern. Make sure it is in the center and put over the mold/cookie cutter. Make sure every thing is well placed if not it will tear. Better do this slowly but well.
  6. Bake for another 2 minutes.
  7. Dry later on at 40° with little weights on each side to prevent from curling up.

Marshmallow filling

Inside the Almond, a torched marshmallow and rosehip jam.
Assembling of the shells and the filling.

Ingredients

  • 100g aquafaba
  • 1/2tsp cream of tartar
  • 1tbsp vanilla paste or extract
  • 130g cold water
  • 1tsp agar powder / 3tsp test
  • 300g caster sugar
  • 30g icing sugar
  • 30g cornflour
  • Spray oil

Baking technic

  1. Add the aquafaba and cream of tartar to your mixer, attach the balloon whisk and set on high speed to beat for around 40 minutes. Mixers vary in the time it takes to whip aquafaba so you may find it beats it to firm peaks in a shorter amount of time.
  2. Once your aquafaba is at the point of firm peaks (i.e. the aquafaba mix is white and stays standing up when you take the whisk out), keep your mixer on a medium speed and add your vanilla. Don’t be tempted to add it sooner than the point of firm peaks.
  3. Set your mixer back to high and whisk for a further 10 minutes. At this point your aquafaba should be very firm (see the recipe video below for an example).
  4. In a saucepan, add the cold water and agar powder. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes whilst stirring constantly.
  5. Add the caster sugar, bring back to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until the liquid reaches 115°C.*
  6. Turn your mixer on to it’s lowest setting and pour your hot sugar and agar mixture in VERY slowly. If you don’t do it at a snail’s pace it could cause your aquafaba to flop.**
  7. Once your sugar and agar mixture is fully in the mixer, turn it back up to high and mix for another 10 minutes. At this point it should be beautifully glossy.
  8. Mix the icing sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Spray a little oil onto your marshmallow dish of choice, line it with parchment paper, spray it again with a little more oil and then dust it with the cornflour and icing sugar mixture. This stops the marshmallow from sticking.***
  9. Pour your glossy, voluptuous marshmallow mixture into your prepared tray and then set it aside, in a cool room (not the fridge) to set for 6 hours or overnight.
  10. Keep the remaining cornflour/icing sugar mixture as you’ll need this later.
  11. Dust a chopping board in some of the cornflour/icing sugar mixture. Once your marshmallow mixture has set, turn it out gently on to the chopping board, dust a sharp knife with more of your flour/sugar mix and cut your marshmallows into the desired size.

Gallery

  1. The water from a tin of chickpeas.