Directions: |
Directions:Preheat oven to 375. Grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, cream the butter w/ the brown sugar & honey. Add one of the egg whites & mix until evenly blended. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt & spices together into another bowl & add the butter mixture, stirring until the dough is smooth & no longer sticky.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface & knead in the orange peel & almonds until evenly dispersed. Divide the dough into three pieces & form each piece into a log that is 8" long & 2" wide. Place the logs 3" apart on the greased baking sheet. Beat the remaining egg white lightly & brush the tops of the logs with it. Bake the logs for 20 to 23 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven & allow to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temp to 325 degrees. Slice the logs 1/4" thick & lay the cookies on the baking sheet. Return to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes to dry them out.The cookies will become crisp as they cool, so don't overbake them. Cool on a rack.
For the Candied Orange Peel: Wash the oranges & cut each one into 6 wedges. Scrape away the pulp (reserve it for another use) leaving the peel with the white membrane attached, & place into a non-reactive saucepan. Cover the orange peel with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then drain off the water. Cover again with cold water, bring to a boil and drain; repeat the process two more times. This is the only way to remove the bitterness from the peel; you'll be glad you went to the trouble.
Remove the peel from the saucepan & add the sugar, water, & corn syrup to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, add the peel, turn the heat down to medium & boil for 20 to 25 minutes or until most of the syrup is absorbed and the peel is glossy. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet to catch drips, transfer the wedges of candied peel to the rack. Let cool & dry for 2 to 3 hrs then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. |
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