Of Cookies and Crunch

Almond Cookies
Ingredients
2/3 cup plain flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
1/3 cup butter  
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Method
Sift plain flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add almond meal and the sifted flour mixture and make a soft dough.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few minutes.

Remove and roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place an almond on top of each cut out cookie.

Place them on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 170C for 18 to 20 minutes. Check from 15 minutes onwards. The underside of the cookie should turn into a light golden brown shade.

Remove from oven and place to cool on a wire rack. Once cool, store in air tight container.

Fruit and nut shortbread cookies
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour 
2 tbsp corn flour
½ cup butter, room temperature, 
softened
½ cup powdered sugar (can reduce 
slightly for a less sweet taste)
Salt, a pinch
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1/4 tsp cardamom powder (or, clove 
powder)
1/4 tsp lemon zest (optional)
1/4 cup each of finely chopped raisins, 
dried cranberries, pistachios, almonds

Method
In a bowl, add the softened butter, powdered sugar and salt and beat till light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, cardamom powder and lemon zest and mix well.

Add the flour and corn flour and mix to make a soft dough. Add the finely chopped dried fruits and nuts and mix well.

Place a 15" by 15" square plastic wrap on the work surface. Place the soft dough on it and shape it into a log. Wrap the log with plastic wrap and seal the ends. Again wrap it in aluminum foil and freeze for an hour or until it hardens.

At the time of baking, pre heat oven to 160 C and remove the dough from the freezer. Unwrap and slice the dough into 1/4" slices and place them on a parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Place them at least an inch apart as they expand on baking.

Place baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened (slightly cold)
1/2 cup powdered sugar 
1/2 tsp salt 
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup plain flour
For filling-
1/4 cup sugar, granulated
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
For glaze-
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp milk

Method 
Beat butter and powdered sugar along with salt and vanilla extract till smooth.

Add the flour and mix to form a dough. 

Place a parchment or butter paper on your work surface. Place the dough on it and roll it into a 9x12" rectangle. Brush all over the surface with melted butter.

In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon powder and sprinkle this mixture all over the rolled out dough evenly. Starting at the long end, carefully roll it into a log and wrap firmly with the butter paper and place in fridge for at least 2 hours.

After two hours, remove the log from the fridge and cut into 1/2" slices. Place on a parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175 C for 12 to 15 minutes.

When the underside of the cookie turns golden, remove from oven and place on cooling rack to cool. Drizzle glaze all over the cookies.  

Brazilian coffee cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups plain white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp hot water
2 1/2 tbsp instant cof
fee powder

Method 
Sieve together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Keep aside.

Add hot water to the coffee powder and keep aside. In a bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the milk, vanilla essence and egg until light and creamy. Add the coffee mixture and mix. Mix in the sieved ingredients until just blended. Cover with plastic foil and place in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Prepare small lemon sized balls and place on baking sheet that has been lined with butter paper. Place each ball about 2 inches apart as they spread. Lightly flatten the balls with a fork. Sprinkle some sugar on top of each ball.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 C for about 10-12 minutes till the edges are slightly toasted or till done. Once baked, the cookie will feel soft to the touch but once cool it will harden. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in airtight container.
 
SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients
For the cookies:
3 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup soft butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tbsp cream
1 tsp vanilla (can substitute almond  
extract)
For the icing:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
Food coloring (few drops)

Method
For the cookies-
Sift dry ingredients, cut in butter and add other ingredients. Blend thoroughly, chill for minimum 1 hour.  

Break off a piece of dough the size of an orange and pat it flat in your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll on dough on floured board or between wax paper.

Roll out to about a 1/4 inch thickness and cut out and put on ungreased cookie sheet. 

For the icing:
Mix the icing ingredients together until smooth, separate into different bowls, and add food colouring to achieve various colours. The consistency should be like thin glue. 

Spread on cookies with a butter knife, use cake decorating piping equipment to add decorative accents.

If you want the sprinkle type decorating candies to stick, brush the cookie with clear syrup and then sprinkle.

Photo courtesy: Elora Hossain