Lesson learned, and that humbling experience came in handy when additional less-than-traditional components (Kellogg’s-brand Club crackers, for example, in the popular Kit Kat Christmas Bars) continued to trickle into the contest’s inbox. (Baker’s tip: I highly recommend using the all-butter Dufour brand puff pastry for this recipe; find it in the frozen foods section of Whole Foods Market and most natural foods co-ops.)
Beyond their exceptional flavor, these delicate, elegant beauties also radiate an “I fussed” vibe, yet the slice-and-bake formula is the opposite of complicated and time-consuming.
Kay Lieberherr of St. Paul based her recipe on the almond palmiers she was forever buying at Surdyk’s Cheese Shop in Minneapolis. I understood her obsession, because, for years, that decadent, flaky treat was also a favorite of mine. They were introduced to me by my late colleague Kristin Tillotson, who was crazy about them and would often leave them at my desk as a thoughtful pick-me-up. Sadly, Surdyk’s no longer sells them, but, thanks to Lieberherr’s craftsmanship, you can bake her version. Find the recipe here.
Almond Triangles, recipe from Charlotte Midthun of Granite Falls, Minn. (Tom Wallace, Star Tribune file photo/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
That these temptations are delicious comes as no surprise; after all, the ingredients include four sticks of butter and five-plus cups of sliced almonds, a can’t-miss combination.
When Charlotte Midthun of Granite Falls, Minn., submitted this recipe in 2009, it wasn’t the first bar cookie to appear in the contest (that path was paved by a 2005 finalist, Cardamom Shortbread Cookies). When it won, we received disapproving commentary along the lines of, “A bar is not a cookie.” We respectfully disagree.
All those sliced almonds don’t come cheap, and in the story we noted that an economical source was We Are Nuts in St. Paul, where the bulk price was significantly less than the average supermarket price.
Dining and Cooking