Spritzgebäck (almond tea cookies)

For Cookies

Ingredients

1 7/8 cups butter or margarine, softened

1 cup and 3 Tbs sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 pinch salt

3, and 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 cup almonds, blanched and ground

3 Tbs cocoa

2 Tbs sugar

To blanch almonds: In a small saucepan, boil water. Add almonds, let sit for 30 to 40 seconds. Strain almonds and rinse briefly with cold water. Remove peel with thumb and forefinger (skin should slip off easily, if not, return to boiling water for another 20 seconds). Grind almonds in a food processor if available, or simply chop finely. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.

To make dough: Stir softened butter or margarine in a mixer on medium high speed until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, vanilla and salt. Once sugar is well dispersed, continue mixing on medium speed for 1 minute. Add 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time.

Turn dough out onto a surface over the chopped nuts. Slowly knead in the almonds and the remaining 1 1/2 cup flour until dough is smooth. Divide dough in half. To one half, slowly knead in cocoa and remaining sugar.

To shape cookies: Roll out each portion of dough to just less than 1/2 inch thick. Use a circular cookie cutter (or the rim of a cup) to cut dough. cut each circle in half. Form each cookie by pressing together one cocoa half-circle with one plain.

Place cookies on greased cookie sheet (they can be very close together, because they don't spread out much) . Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

For Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate

6 Tbs sugar

2 Tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate with oil and vanilla on medium low heat. Once melted, add sugar one tablespoon at a time. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Dip each cookie into glaze as desired. Return to baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

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Adapted from a German Today recipe