Cookies

Nutty Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
250g butter
150g soft brown sugar

Sifted:
325g flour
2 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
50g coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
50g coarsely chopped pecan nuts
50g coarsely chopped candied pineapple

Method:
PREHEAT oven at 170° C. Line baking trays with non-stick parchment.
Cream butter and sugar until light. Stir in sifted dry ingredients and chopped nuts and candied pineapple. Mix well to a smooth dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll out dough in between two plastic sheets to 1/4 cm thickness. Stamp out crescent shapes (or any shape of your choice) and place onto prepared tray. Prick cookies with a fork to form decorative patterns.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and firm. If desired, dust with castor sugar while the cookies are still warm. If not, leave them plain. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes, then transfer them onto wire racks to cool completely before storing them in an air-tight container.


Almond Ginger Squares
Ingredients (A):
175g butter
100g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Sift these ingredients:
250g flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger powder

Topping:
100g icing sugar
50g butter
1 tbsp liquid glucose
150g slivered almonds
25g finely chopped candied ginger

Method:
PREHEAT oven at 180° C. Line a lamington tray with non-stick parchment. Cream (A) until light and fluffy. Fold in sifted ingredients and mix well. Spread mixture evenly over the base of prepared tray.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; spread hot topping evenly over the biscuit. When biscuit is still warm, cut into squares. Store these squares in the refrigerator until the topping has set completely before keeping them in plastic containers.
Topping: Combine sugar and butter in a saucepan and stir over low heat until butter has melted. Stir in liquid glucose and mix well. Add almonds and ginger. Footnote: This cookie has to be kept in the refrigerator. It can keep well for 2 to 3 weeks refrigerated.


Pinwheel Nutties
Ingredients
100g butter
100g shortening
125g sugar
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 egg yolk

Sift:
275g flour
1 tbsp corn flour
1/2 tsp Emplex
100g finely chopped hazelnuts (or any nut of your choice e.g. almonds, pecans, cashewnuts).

Method:
PREHEAT oven at 170° C. Line trays with non-stick parchment. Beat butter, shortening, sugar and egg yolk until light. Add in lemon rind. Stir in sifted flour and half portion of nuts. Combine well.
Remove mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a log. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until just firm (about 30 to 40 minutes).
Remove from the refrigerator and unwrap. Brush lightly with beaten egg white all round. Coat with remaining nuts.
Cut into 1/4cm thick slices. Place on prepared trays and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown in colour. Cool slightly, then carefully lift cookies onto wire racks to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.

Puffed Rice Cereal Cookies
Ingredients:
175g butter
250g sugar
1 tbsp liquid glucose
1 large egg — lightly beaten

Combine:
200g puffed rice cereals
25g toasted chopped almonds
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
3 tbsp flour
Red and green glace cherries — halved

Method:
PREHEAT oven at 170° C. Line baking trays with non-stick parchment. Melt butter, sugar and liquid glucose in a heavy-based saucepan over medium low heat. Bring saucepan away from the heat when butter has melted. Add egg and mix well. Stir in the rest of the combined ingredients.
Dust your hands lightly with flour, take a tablespoon of dough and roll into a small ball. Place balls on a baking tray. Press a cherry half on each cookie.
Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until golden. At this stage, if cookies run out of shape, you can still pat them back into nice circles then leave to cool. Remove onto wire racks to cool completely. Store cookies in a plastic container and keep them chilled in the refrigerator.


Almond Pecan Cookies
Ingredients:
· 175g butter
· 100g icing sugar
· 1 tsp vanilla essence
· 1 egg
· 225g flour - sifted
· 50g pecans - chopped coarsely
· 100g almonds - chopped coarsely
Method: CREAM butter and icing sugar. Add in vanilla essence and egg. Continue to cream till light and fluffy. Fold in flour and stir in chopped pecans.
Roll out dough to 1/2 cm thickness and cut out with a cookie cutter. Place on greased baking trays. Brush with egg white and press lightly with chopped almonds. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 to 20 minutes or till golden brown. Leave on the baking sheet for two minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.