For
the Lunar New Year celebration, Anamaria and the children also baked Chinese
almond cookies to share with everyone. The children enjoyed rolling and shaping
the dough into little cookies.
We brought the cookies to the playground to
enjoy them with the warm sunshine!
Recipe
for Chinese almond cookies:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup white sugar (can add up to 2 more tablespoons, if desired)
- 1 egg
- 2-1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 30 whole, blanched almonds (one for each cookie)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Preparation:
1.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162.5 degrees Celsius).
2. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a
medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter or margarine, shortening,
and sugar. Add the egg and almond extract and beat until well blended. Add to
the flour mixture and mix well. Note: The dough will be crumbly at this point,
but don't worry - that is what it's supposed to be like.
3. Use your fingers to form the mixture into dough, and then form the dough
into 2 rolls or logs that are 10 to 12 inches long. Wrap and refrigerate for 2
hours (this will make it easier to shape the dough into circles).
4. Take a log and lightly score the dough at 3/4 inch intervals so that you
have 15 pieces and cut the dough. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a
lightly greased cookie tray, approximately 1 1/2 inches apart. Place an almond
in the center of each cookie and press down lightly. Repeat with the remaining
dough.
5. Brush each cookie lightly with beaten egg before baking. Bake for 15 minutes
to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and store in a sealed container.
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