Yields 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/3 cup firmly package dark brown sugar
- 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
- 1/2 teaspoon ground anise seed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 36 blanched whole almonds, toasted slightly
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a small bowl stir together well the milk and the brown sugar.
- In a bowl combine the butter, flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and brown sugar mixture.
- On a lightly floured work surface knead the dough until it is smooth. Form the dough into a 1-1/4-inch square “log” and cut it into 36 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- Arrange the slices 1 inch apart on lightly buttered baking sheets and center an almond on each slice, pressing it in slightly.
- Bake the cookies by batches in the middle of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are golden; transfer them to racks and let them cool. The cookies will become firmer and crisper as they cool.
