Pastry chef Gesine Bullock-Prado takes the base dough for our beloved Almond Cloud Cookies and turns it into a traditional German treat, Mandelhörnchen. Known commonly as almond horns, these chewy almond cookies are dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with sliced almonds for enhanced texture and flavor.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line with parchment.
To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the almond paste, sugar, salt, and almond flour until the mixture is uniformly crumbly.
Add the egg whites one at a time, mixing to make a smooth paste. Stir in the almond extract.
To shape the dough: Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe U-shaped horns about 2” long and 2” wide, leaving at least 2" of space between each horn.
To add the almond garnish: Brush the horns with the egg white and water mixture and sprinkle with the sliced almonds. For best results, refrigerate the shaped cookies, uncovered, for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center.
To bake the cookies: Bake the horns for 15 minutes, until they're starting to lightly brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack.
To dip in chocolate: In a small saucepan set over low heat or in the microwave, melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate with the vegetable oil or shortening, stirring until smooth.
Working with one horn at a time, dip each end into the melted chocolate. Return the horns to the rack for the chocolate to set.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days; freeze for longer storage.
Join pastry chef Gesine Bullock-Prado as she demonstrates how to make Mandelhörnchen from start to finish. Watch Episode 6 of the Isolation Baking Show now.
Different brands of purchased almond paste, as well as homemade almond paste, produce varying results in the cookies' texture. This recipe has been formulated for our homemade DIY Almond Paste, which is simple to make and delicious. You can substitute a purchased (rather than homemade) almond paste if you make a few small changes: omit the 1/2 cup (48g) almond flour in the recipe; use 16 ounces (454g) of purchased paste, and refrigerate the scooped cookies for 2 hours, or as long as overnight, before baking. Exception: If your preferred brand of storebought almond paste is American Almond's "Love 'n Bake," omit the 1/2 cup (48g) almond flour; use 10 ounces (284g) Love 'n Bake, and don't refrigerate the cookies before baking.
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