Almond Cookies with a Crunch

Apart from baking pineapple tarts, I will definitely bake some almond cookies for Chinese New Year. Previously when I was still in Penang, I will normally get the premix from the local baking supplies shop which tasted very good. Now that I am in Melbourne, everything will have to be from scratch.

I checked the net and found a recipe but I tweaked it as I already have some raw almonds with me so I did not want to buy the almond meal separately. I just ground the almond myself. Also, I added some roasted sesame seeds for the extra flavor and crunch.

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These cookies are so addictive that I can't stop snacking on them! Since it used corn or sunflower oil, I guess it is has less guilt compared to those made of butter! Okie... I am just trying to console myself :P

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Ingredients

• 400 gm Plain flour


• 250 gm Icing sugar


• 2½ tsp Baking powder


• 1½ tsp Baking soda


• ½ tsp Salt

(sieve the above 3 times)

• 175 gm Chopped almonds (almond nibs)


• 180 gm Ground almond (I have mind with the skin on)


• 300 ml Corn/Sunflower oil


• ¼ tsp Almond extract (mix into the oil)


• Toasted sesame seeds


• 1 Egg (for egg wash)

Methods

1. Toast almonds on a frying pan on small fire till lightly brown, cooled and chop/ground accordingly.


2. In a large mixing bowl mix the sifted ingredients and mix with the ground almond and chopped almonds.


3. Add about ½ of the oil into the flour mix and rub into it to resembles bread crumbs. Then add in the remaining oil and knead until the dough is well incorporated.


4. Take about 12gm of the dough (I used a digital scale) and roll it into a ball, dip one end into the sesame seeds and let it coat half the cookie dough, gently roll to get the sesame seeds to stick onto dough. Flatten the cookies to about 1cm thickness.


5. Place rolled/flatten cookies onto lined baking tray with a 1.5 cm gap. Brush the first coat of egg wash onto surface and let it dry for 15 mins before brushing the 2nd coat.


6. Bake cookies in preheated oven of 160°C for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack and before storing in air tight container.

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Note

I've tried another batch using just 280ml of oil and it is a lot more easy to shape.