Lace Cookies

I am trying to come up with a cookie recipe to bake and bring when I visit my mother in law next month. She is an amazing cook of Korean food but not much of a baker. She always seems impressed when I bring something that I baked. I think I will bring these and the Madeleines because they are the prettiest.

I think these are going to be a new staple cookie for me. They are shockingly easy to fix and they look adorable. They are like a cross between a cookie and almond brittle. This recipe calls for orange zest. I made four versions: plain with no orange zest, cinnamon, orange zest and plain dipped in dark chocolate. Yong preferred the plain ones. I initially liked the cinnamon best but also came to love the orange zest once I tried it--you need to be in the mood for orange zest.

Next time I make these I will probably reduce the sugar somewhat. Their family usually eats fruit for dessert so I try not to make anything crazily sweet for them. This recipe is great as-is for most people though. Because of the brittle-like qualities of this cookie, I think, as with most of my cookies, that they could be improved by adding a healthy dose of sea salt. Salty-sweet cookies are my favorite.

Check out my nail art.


Ingredients
1 3/4 cups sliced, blanched almonds (about 5 ounces)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Topping, optional:
2 to 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

2. Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely chopped, but not pasty. Stir together the nuts, flour, zest and salt in a large bowl.






3. Put the sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to boil for 1 minute.


4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, then pour mixture into almond mixture and stir just to combine. Set aside until cool enough to handle, 30 minutes.


5. Scoop rounded teaspoons (for 3-inch cookies) or rounded tablespoons (for 6-inch cookies) of batter and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 3 to 4 inches between each cookie since they spread.


6. Bake 1 pan at a time, until the cookies are thin and an even golden brown color throughout, rotating pans halfway through baking time, about 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve.


What the oven has joined together let no bear tear asunder.