The Iraqi Family Cookbook

The Iraqi Family Cookbook
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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Almond Cookies-Louzina. لوزينة

This a very simple, light and delicious cookie that taste wonderful with ground cardamom. You could use other flavoringns such as rosewater or vanilla.
For this recipe, you need blanched almonds, toasted or raw.  You can buy them ready blanched, but to blanch almonds, you can put 1 cup of almonds in a glass bowl. Add 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Place in the microwave oven for 5 minutes. Remove the bowl and drain the almonds in a colander.
Rub the almonds in your hands to remove the skin. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake in a 300 degrees F. oven for 8 minutes to dry, or leave them on a tray on the kitchen counter for 3 days to dry before storing.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Ingredients:
2 cups almonds
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs (egg white only)
1 teaspoon ground cardamoms or 1 teaspoon rosewater

Put the almonds and sugar in a food processor and pulse until all almonds are ground. Put the mixture in a bowl, and add the baking powder and cardamom. Add the eg whites and stir with a spoon. It will make soft dough. Spoon the cookie dough on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper. Place a blanched almond on top of each cookie for decoration. Bake for 25 minutes.
Makes 2 dozens.
You can purchase almond flour from the grocery stores but it costs much less to grind it yourself.

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