Chinese New Year Almond Cookies

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 70 blanched whole almonds (about 2/3 cup/150 ml)
• 1 egg yolk

Recipe

• 1 in large bowl, beat together butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy. beat in egg, almond extract and vanilla. in separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds and baking powder; add to butter mixture and stir to form stiff dough.
• 2 roll dough by tablespoonfuls (15 ml) into balls. place, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on greased or parchment paper?lined rimless baking sheet; top each with whole almond, pressing into dough. mix egg yolk with 1 tsp (5 ml) water; brush over cookies.
• 3 bake in centre of 350°f (180°c) oven until edges are light golden, about 15 minutes. transfer to rack; let cool completely. (make-ahead: layer between waxed paper in airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.).
• 4 canadian living magazine.