Almond Crunch Cookies

I have been eyeing this Almond Crunch Cookies recipe from one of my many favorite cookbooks, 'Baking Code' of the Alex Goh Baking Class series, but never got around to trying it. Well, honestly, cookies are not my forte .... too much repetitive work to handle for a lazy cook like me!



Baking time.

 Anyway, this month's Apiring Bakers Challenge hosted by Jess of 'j3ss kitch3n' is themed "My Favorite Chinese New Year Cookies". Good reason for me to pull myself out from my comfort zone and try out the recipe at last!



Hot out from the oven!


I divided the dough into 2 portions and added nibbed almonds to one and left out the other, as some like it crunchy & nutty and some don't!  As the name suggest, the cookies turned out very crunchy and crisp. I couldn't stop munching at just one. They taste somewhat like 'Hup Toh Soh'. Maybe I should rename them 'Almond Soh'!  

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #3: My Favorite CNY Cookie (Jan 2011), details can be found here. If you're interested please feel free to join. Happy baking all! 
 

Almond Crunch Cookies

(recipe taken from 'Baking Code' by Alex Goh)

Ingredients

100 g butter

130 g sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ammonia

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

230 g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

20 g ground almond

60 g nibbed almond

Note: I suggest toasting the nibbed almonds first prior to folding in, for better aroma.

Method:

1) Beat together butter, sugar, salt and ammonia till light and fluffy.

2) Add in eggs and vanilla essence, combine well.

3) Sift together plain flour, baking soda and ground almonds. Then mix with butter mixture.Fold in nibbed almond.

4) Pinch a small piece of dough about 10 g and shape into a ball. Place it onto a greased baking pan and flatten lightly. Do this again until you finish the whole batch of dough. Then, lightly brush the cookies with egg wash and decorate with whole shelled almonds on top.  

5) Bake at  170°C for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.