Almond cookies

This is a recipe shared by a colleague and this is the first time I made them. Verdict? Really taste good but I can’t reach up to my colleague’s standard yet … her cookies looked so much more nicer 😉

Almond Cookies

Ingredients:
300 g plain flour
250 g corn flour
300 g almonds with skin (grind) – Note: you can fry the almonds without any oil for a while first, cool it and then grind them (optional)
200 g icing sugar
60 g melted butter
Enough cooking oil – pour the oil bit by bit till you can easily form into a dough (but not too wet)

1 egg yolk – beaten (for glazing) (I actually use the whole egg, don’t like to waste it)

Method:
– Sift plain flour, corn flour and icing sugar.
– Add ground almonds and mix well.
– Add melted butter and oil. Bring all ingredients together to form a dough.
– Scoop one level of teaspoon of dough and shape it into a ball (this method is if you’re using a cookie press mould like I did). Alternatively, you can roll the dough and use a cookie cutter.
– Arrange onto the baking tray.
– Brush with the egg and bake in a preheated oven at 170 degree C for 15-20 or until slightly brown.
– Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before storing.

***

Almond Sugee Marathon

From Friday to Saturday …. 2 days in a row, I have been spending my time trying out 3 different types of Almond Sugee Cookie recipes.  Thus the title above … a marathon cos its one recipe after another.  2 of the recipes I got them from the internet and the last one is a recipe from my 3rd sister.

Why am I making all these cookies? Cos Lunar New Year is coming … it is an annual event that will have me baking something for my manager.  It is my annual gift to her ….to  celebrate the Lunar New Year as well as an opportunity for me to say ‘thank you’ to her for always being a supportive RO.

Almond Sugee – 1st recipe

Ok the first recipe I tried was from this link : http://resipicitarasawan.blogspot.sg/2009/05/suji-almond.html (the recipes in Malay), so here’s the translation :

Ingredients : 

150 gm butter
30 gm ghee (clarified butter)
80 gm castor sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
50 gm almond powder
60 gm semolina flour
220 gm plain flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Method : 

– Mix and stir well the  butter, ghee, sugar and vanilla essence together.
–  Add the flour, semolina flour, baking powder and almond powder.  Knead to become a soft dough.
–  Roll the dough and use a cookie cutter to cut out and put on the baking tray.  (I did not do these, instead I make them into ball shape and put into paper cups)
– Bake at 140 degree celsius for 30 mins.

(Optional : glaze egg yolk on top of biscuits and sprinkle some diced almonds before putting into the oven)

My verdict : The nicest looking among the 3 cookies, taste great but it’s not the melt in the mouth kind of sugee cookie.  I still give my thumbs up!

When it’s ready to fill up the cookie bottle … yumss!

————

Almond Sugee – 2nd recipe

The 2nd recipe comes from this link : http://www.roseskitchenette.com/2007/01/24/almond-suji-cookies/

The recipe is in English so can just copy and paste the link for those who would like to try this version.

My verdict : Defintely melt in the mouth …but the dough is too soft and I could not make them into nice looking round shape. Still I consider this a good recipe to have.

—————

Almond Sugee – 3rd recipe

The 3rd recipe I almost got it right except for an error listed in the recipe (a typo by my BIL hehee), the cookie did not taste as good as it should be.  I know its taste cos every year my 3rd sister would bake these sugee for the Eid celebration.  By this time, I was too tired to try again. So I’m leaving it as it is.  Will try again maybe next time.  Oh yes! this sugee cookie is also the melt in the mouth kind and frankly tasted better than the 2nd version.

There … that wraps the Almond Sugee Marathon 😉

Below is the recipe for the 3rd sugee cookie :

Ingredients :

454 gm of ghee (clarified butter)
300 gm of sugar powder
1 tbsp of condensed milk
100 gm of almond powder
1 pkt of self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
1 tsp of baking powder

Method :

– Mix and stir well the ghee, sugar and salt
– Add baking powder, almond powder and condensed milk
– Add the flour bit by bit, until able to form a soft dough
– Make into small round balls and put into paper cups in a baking tray
– Bake at 160 degree celsius for 15 mins.

Khalas!

Chocolate Almond Cookies

Ingredients :

400 g butter
175g fine sugar
250g fine brown sugar
2 tsp essence vanilla
1 tsp fine salt
2 eggs
2 tsp bicarbonate soda
800g plain flour
200g chopped almonds
250g chocolate chips

Methods :

1) Beat the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt till fluffy.
2) Add in the eggs, plain flour, bicarbonate soda. Beat and mix thorougly for a few minutes.
3) Add in chocolate chips and chopped almonds. Mix thoroughly using a spatula or spoon.
4) Using a pastry board, roll the mixture into a thickness of 3/4 cm and cut into squares of 3 by 3 cm. (You can also use cutting biscuit moulds instead of cutting into squares.)
5) Put the squares into a baking tray and bake till cook at 160 degree celcius.
6) Once cooled, put the biscuits into containers and close tight till its time to serve.

An all time favourite of the family, these cookies are superb, I began baking them since 2008.  Usually made them for Hari Raya, though the last two years I did not make any cookies.  Maybe this year … hmm will have to see how later …hehee 😉