For me, the dark winter evenings draw me inside and into my kitchen. I find myself wanting comfort foods and buttery treats.

These cookies are based on a traditional Greek Christmas shortbread. Light and crumbly, they are scented with rose and full of toasted almonds - the flavour and texture are quite irresistible. Traditionally a whole clove is poked into the top of the cookie to represent the gift of spices from the three wise men, you can add one if you want to.

They make a lovely gift and if you are not fond of rose you could substitute here for ginger syrup or just leave them as almond and vanilla cookies, which would be equally delicious.

Ingredients

• Makes approx. 18 cookies
• 9 ozs (200g) cold butter
• 75g (⅓ cup) vanilla sugar
• 1½ cups (150g) flaked almonds (toasted)
• ½ cup (50g) flaked almonds (untoasted)
• 1 tsp- tbsp rose syrup (or alternative flavour)
• 3 cups (300g) all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• Lots of icing sugar for dusting

1. 1. Pre-heat oven to 200˚C.
2. 2. Toast 1½ cups of flaked almonds in the oven. This will take 5-7 minutes, be careful and watch them. You want them lightly golden and not burnt, they will turn very quickly.
3. 3. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
4. 4. In a blender pulse your remaining ½ cup of untoasted flaked almonds to a fine sand mixture
5. 5. Add the cold butter, vanilla sugar, salt and rose syrup. Pulse at 20 second intervals until combined. You do not want to over mix and you do not want the butter to begin to melt.
6. 6. Add flour and baking powder and pulse until dough forms.
7. 7. Roll 1 tbsp of dough into a ball and place on a lined baking sheet. Press the centre with your thumb.



8. 8. Bake for 18-20 mins until light golden, be careful not to over bake.
9. 9. Leave to cool for 10 mins, do not lift them as they will crumble. When they have cooled but are still slightly warm sift heavily with icing sugar.

Let me know if you make these and how you get on #consideredbyhj

Products used: Rose Syrup3520110 Sanford (low)3512100 Cookie Sheet3530105 Cooling Tray3530106