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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 8 Minutes |
Ready In: 8 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Here is a little piece of history for you - The almond has an interesting history in China. The sweet almond was already in cultivatoin in the late Tang dynasty (AD 618-906), having been brough to China from Russian Turkestan and central Asia. The bitter almond is a local nut, which is actually the kernel of the native apricot. It is used extensively in Chinese herbal medicine for respiratory dysfunction and is also added in carefully prescruibed quantity (because of it's slightly toxic properties in its raw state and its strong bitter taste) to superior soups such as double-boiled quail and ginseng soups. In desserts, it is often ground and combined with milk. The technique of baking, as in the following recipe, is borrowed from the West. - This recipe came from The Heritage of Chinese Cooking . I hope you enjoy these little tastes of wonder!! Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar |
3/4 cup packed brown sugar |
1/2 cup margarine |
1 egg |
1/2 teaspoon almond extract |
2 cups all-purpose flour |
1/2 teaspoon baking powder |
sesame seeds |
24 blanched almonds |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Cream the sugars with the margarine. Add the egg and almond extract, and beat until fluffy.
3. Stir the flour and baking powder together and fold into the mixture a little at a time. Beat lightly to make a smooth dough. Do not knead the mixture too much, or the cookies will be hard.
4. Shape the dough into balls the size of a walnut. Dip the tops of the cookies into the sesame seeds. (You may need to slightly dampen the top of each with a little water). Lightly press half an almond into the center and flatten a little.
5. Place the cookies about 1-inch apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Store in airtight containers.
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