Kourambiedes – Greek almond cookie recipe

• A food processer is great for this recipe. Shortbread is all about lightness and a food processor really helps to whip the ingredients together. Otherwise, an electric mixer and/or a very strong arm.

MIxing the dough

• Remove one cup of flour from the weighed pound, and replace it with the almond flour, mixing the two together with the icing sugar
• Whip the butter until it is light and fluffy
• Beat the vanilla and egg into the butter and whip until they are fully incorporated
• Add the flour/almond mixture in stages, using the food processor for as much of this as possible
• After mixing the dough, smooth it into a ball and wrap it in plastic to keep it from drying out while you store it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight

Shaping and baking the cookies

• Preheat the oven to 325º
• Scoop out small amouns of the dough and shape them into a ball or an oblong around the size of a walnut
• Place them on a baking sheet
• Traditionally, you place a clove in the cookie where it would indicate a cross, in the top third of an oblong, or the centre of the circle. This also flavours the cookie as it bakes. The clove is removed to eat the cookie
• Bake for 25 – 30 minutes at 325º
• Watch them carefully for the last 5 minutes to make sure they don't brown.

Finishing the cookies

• When the cookies are completely cooled, sift icing sugar over them until they are covered.
• They are tasty right away, but get better after they have aged a day or so.