Arabian Gulf Shortbread Cookies (ghiraybah)

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup clarified butter (samneh, i have always used just sweet butter without clarifying)
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• blanched slivered almond, to garnish (loz)
• additional icing sugar, for dusting

Recipe

• 1 first of all, sifting is an important part which must not be left out or the cookies will not turn out the right texture so be sure you have a sieve.
• 2 if need be, chill samneh or butter in refrigerator if too soft. (it should be somewhat soft just not very soft)
• 3 put samneh in mixing bowl and beat until light. gradually add sifted icing sugar, beating until very creamy and light.
• 4 preheat oven to 325°f.
• 5 sift flour and fold into butter mixture. knead lightly until smooth. (don't overdo it) if kitchen is hot, chill dough in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
• 6 roll pieces of dough into balls the size of a walnut and place on ungreased baking sheets. flatten slightly. flour hand lightly if necessary. top half or all with a slivered almond. (i like to do half with the nuts and half with the dusting of icing sugar after cooled).
• 7 bake in the preheated moderately slow oven for 20-25 minutes until very lightly coloured. cool on baking sheets. dust the other half without the almond slivers with icing sugar. (makes for a pretty presentation of the mixed biscuits on a platter) then remove. these are very delicate biscuits and must be handled carefully.
• 8 enjoy!