'Some nights, when I think no one is looking, I tiptoe quietly into the kitchen. By the light of the moon, shining through the kitchen window, I open the pantry door. Standing on tiptoes I reach into the back of the cupboard and take out the blue tin. Very carefully I remove the lid. In the semi darkness, my fingers search the tin for one of the little white orbs. I quickly pop it into my mouth. My eyes close and I learn back against the wall. Bliss. The cookie barely needs chewing. It melts by the warmth of my tongue. I lick my lips to catch any missing flecks of the sweet powdered sugar.'
Last week I decided to declutter my collection of recipes. I came across a cookie recipe I'd printed off, from Cath at A Blithe Palate.
When I first stumbled across Cath's blog she was on a road trip in the Napa Valley with friends. Wine country. Friends. Road trip......my kinda person.
Cath has a way with words. She has the rare ability to take you places in your head. Her visit to the British Museum had me on the edge of my chair, my heart pounding.
I remembered her writing about how good these cookies were. As Cath will be in my 'hood next year, I thought maybe I should trial them before she gets here. That way I could make them for her if she is missing home.
......and the rest is history. Cath's Russian Tea Cakes will forever be known in our house as heroin cookies.
Cath's Russian Tea Cakes Recipe
1 3/4 cups (6 oz) almond flour (this is finely ground blanched
almonds; alternatively you may use other nuts and grind them to a fine
meal in a food processor)
2 cups all purpose flour
6 T sugar
8
oz unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 t vanilla extract
1
t salt
Confectioner's sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 325. (I cooked them on 180C)
Cream butter and 4 T sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla until combined, then reduce speed and add the flour, almond flour, salt and the remaining 2T of sugar. Using a small scoop or two spoons, scoop a spoonful of dough and roll it into a 1 inch ball. Place them on a lined baking sheet.
Bake them until they are light brown, approximately 20 minutes. At ten minutes, switch the cookie sheets between the racks and rotate them so they bake evenly. Do not let them overcook or become too brown. Remove from the oven and dust them liberally with confectioner's sugar. Cool on a rack.
To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature.
Read Cath's post on these cookies . You'll love it.
