“This recipe comes under that category of “stuff I found when cleaning out the pantry.” It is also a reminder that if you have unusual ingredients on hand, you should check the company’s website. I found a box of almond paste in my pantry. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I Googled Odense, the company that makes it. Sure enough, Odense publishes a number of recipes on its website that call for almond paste.  I made few adjustments, which I’ve noted. Baking is a great stress-reducer these days.” — Reader BYRD WOOD, Cape Elizabeth

Lemon-Almond Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Odense. Grating almond paste is a little like trying to grate Play Doh. It might work better to freeze the paste ahead of time, Wood noted.

1 (7-oz.) box/tube of Odense almond paste, grated using the large holes on a box grater.

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioners sugar

In a mixer, beat the grated almond paste, granulated sugar, butter, egg, and lemon rind and juice until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into almond mixture. Transfer the mixture to a container, cover and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the confectioners sugar. (“I dusted the tops of the cookies with confectioners sugar right after they came out of the oven instead. I think they look prettier that way,” Wood noted.)

Place the balls on the baking sheet 2 – 3 inches apart. Bake 10 – 12 minutes until puffy and lightly colored around the edges. Cool on wire racks. Store the cookies in air-tight container between sheets of wax paper.

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