Qurabyah the Turkish Sweet Loved by Iranians for Dessert

Qurabyah is made with ground almonds, egg whites, sugar and very little cake flour. Blanched almonds are sold at the bakery aisle of supermarkets but you may also blanch them at home. To blanch your own almonds, add 1 cup of almonds to a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover them. Cover the bowl for 10 minutes. Without burning your fingers pick up an almond and squeeze it between your thumb and index finger to remove the brown skin on the outside. Don’t drain the water until all of the almonds are done. The blanching can be done 3-4 days in advance and the blanched almonds can be frozen in a freezer safe zipped bag. Freezing causes some discoloration but it does not compromise its texture or taste. Leave the bag at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to thaw, before grinding.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup blanched (without the brown skin) almonds (8 ounces)
• ¾ cup + 2 TBSP granulated sugar (6 ½ ounces)
• 2 TBSP water
• 3 egg whites (keep the yolks for another use)
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar (1 ¾ ounces)
• 2 TBSP cake flour
• 1 egg white (use the yolk for something else), stir a few times for easier brushing, but do not whip
• ½ -1 tsp turbinado sugar crystals
• ¼ cup unsalted pistachios coarsely chopped, for sprinkling on top before baking

Instructions:

1. Add 1 cup blanched almonds to the chamber of a food processor (Please see the tutorial for the blanching instructions at home. If you’re using the store bought blanched almonds soak them in warm water for 5-10 minutes and drain them before grinding).
2. Add ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar to the chamber. Process for half a minute or until the almonds are processed into small chewy particles. You don't want almond paste, do not over process.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of water and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract in a slow stream through the feeding shoot with the food processor running. The ground almonds will start bunching up in one corner, and this is the time to stop the food processor. This process takes just about a minute, do not over process. Set aside.
4. Sift the powdered sugar and cake flour into a bowl and set aside.
5. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Do not grease the paper.
6. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Remove the bowl and fold in the processed almonds into the beaten egg whites with a wooden spoon until blended.
7. Add the flour and powdered sugar mixture in two additions and stir to blend after each addition.
8. Fit a 12-inch pastry bag with plain flute tip (I used Wilton 1A) or make a small cut in one corner of a small ziplock bag. Fill the pastry bag with the batter.
9. Pipe out twenty 2-inch circles with some space between them. Let the cookies rest for about an hour on the counter without covering them.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 F for at least 30 minutes.
11. Brush the tops of the cookies with the stirred egg white. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar crystal and chopped pistachios.
12. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown and the tops have tanned a bit. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Slide the parchment paper with the cookies still attached onto a cooling rack. Cool for about 30 minutes.
13. The cookies will be stock to the parchment paper. To release, lightly spray the back side of the parchment with water, wait for couple of minutes, and remove the cookies one by one with your fingers.
14. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature. These cookies also freeze well but bring them to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

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