About 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter or
margarine, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons almond-flavor
liqueur, such as amaretto, or 1
tablespoon almond extract
About 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups sliced almonds
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour,
plus at least 30 minutes to chill
MAKES: About 3 dozen cookies
1. In a large bowl, with a mixer
on medium speed, beat 1 cup butter
and sugar until smooth. Add egg
yolk, liqueur, and orange peel and
beat until well blended.
2. In another bowl, mix 2 cups
flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add to butter mixture; stir to
mix, then beat until well blended.
Gather dough into a ball, divide
in half, and flatten each portion
into a disk; wrap each tightly in
plastic wrap and freeze until firm
enough to roll without sticking,
about 30 minutes.
3. Unwrap dough. On a lightly
floured surface, with a floured
rolling pin, roll one disk at a
time to about 1/4 inch thick. With
a floured, 2-inch round cutter,
cut out cookies. Place about 2
inches apart on buttered 12- by
15-inch baking sheets. Gather
excess dough into a ball, re-roll,
and cut out remaining cookies.
4. In a small bowl, beat egg white
with 1 teaspoon water to blend.
Brush cookies with mixture and
sprinkle or arrange about 1/2
teaspoon sliced almonds on each.
5. Bake cookies in a 325° regular
or convection oven until lightly
browned, about 15 minutes; if
baking two sheets at once in one
oven, switch their positions
halfway through cooking. Let
cookies cool on sheets for 5
minutes, then use a wide spatula
to transfer to racks to cool
completely.
About the Author - Gary
Connor, Spokane, Washington
By: Gary Connor
Published: December, 2001
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