Happy Year of the Dragon!
My earliest memories of baking come from helping my mother make these Chinese almond cookies. As a young girl, my job was to help roll the dough into walnut-sized balls, flatten them with the bottom of a glass, and put the finishing touch of the little red dot on each cookie's center. These cookies were my mother's specialty, and she was once asked to bake 500 cookies for a non-profit fundraiser event.
These cookies are much like a light shortbread or pie crust. They are buttery, and almost melt in your mouth when you bite into them. The almond flavor of the extract give them a distinctly Chinese taste, making them a wonderful treat. Set out a plate of these for Chinese New Year. Gung hay fat choy!
Chinese Almond Cookies
1 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
Almond slivers (optional)
Red food coloring
What does the red dog symbolize?
ReplyDeletered dot...
ReplyDeleteThe color red in Chinese culture symbolizes good luck. Sometimes the cookies have an almond sliver instead, but my family always liked the look of the red against the cookie.
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