Almond Biscuit Tower Prepared by Chef Lina Saad

Almond Biscuit Tower

Inspired from the Swedish Krasnekaake, this almond flavoured chewy biscuit goes well with the pistachios and raspberries all around.

Ingredient

• 500g ground almonds
• 500 icing sugar sieved
• 4 egg whites (at room temperature)
• 1tsp rose water
• tsp orange blossom water
• semolina for dusting
• 200g ground raw pistachios
• For the topping
• 300g white chocolate
• 200g fresh raspberries

Method

• Into a food processor whisk the egg white with a dash of salt until fluffy and stiff.
• In a bowl put the ground almonds and sieve the icing sugar, mix evenly well with a spatula.
• Now add the dry ingredients (sugar and almonds) into the egg whites gradually and fold until its fully incorporated.
• Add the rose water and orange blossom flavours. The dough at this stage would be sticky so add some semolina (about a handful and knead it for about 10 minutes).
• Wrap it up in cling film and chill for about 3 hours.
• In the mean time, wash the pistachios and try to peel some of its outer layer and ground coarsely in the food processor.
• Wash the raspberries and place on a clean kitchen towel.
• The key to use this dough it has to be chilled other wise things will get pretty messy.
• Many professional use diameter rings, I discovered it rather pleasing to divide my dough into different ball sizes ranging from largest to smallest.
• Start by rolling the largest ball into a snake like shape and then attach the ends so it looks like a large circle.
• Apply the same to the other balls working your way out from the largest to the smallest so you are able later and after baking to stack the Kransekake from largest to the smallest at the top.
• Now carefully place the circled cookies on parchment paper and bake in the oven at 180C for about 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden in colour.
• Remove the round cookies and allow to cool; now melt the white chocolate and empty into a plastic tube with a nozzle.
• Pipe the white chocolate around the largest biscuit and stack the slightly smaller ring biscuit. Apply the same thing until you reach the smallest ring at the top.
• Add extra dots of white chocolate and decorate with fresh raspberries, mini mint leaves and sprinkle some pistachios.
• This is an excellent show stopper.