A shortbread type cookie that is not too sweet, with the added flavor of ground almonds. The dough is a bit crumbly, however it is still easy to work with to roll and cut out. The egg yolk brushed on top gives these cookies a beautiful golden color.

Crumbly Almond Hearts

Ingredients:

Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 cup ground almonds

Topping:

1 large egg yolk

About 6 dozen blanched almonds

Tip: See Blanching Almonds.  Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.       

Directions:

Dough:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
   
   
2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, confectioner sugar, and egg yolk; beat together until mixture appears pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add ground almonds and flour mixture; stir until blended, the dough will be stiff.
   
   
3. Form dough into a 6 inch flattened disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
   
   
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
   
   
5. On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut dough into hearts or other desired shapes using a 2½ inch cookie cutter that has been dipped in flour (to help prevent dough from sticking to the cutter.)
   
   
6. Place cutout dough 1 inch apart on baking sheets (cookies may be placed close together as they do not spread.)
   
   Topping:
7. Beat one egg yolk. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each cookie with the egg yolk. Gently press 2 blanched almonds into the top of each cookie.
   

Tip: To blanch almonds, place shelled almonds in boiling water for 1 minute. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water. While almonds are still warm, press each almond between your thumb and forefinger and slide the skin off the almond from the wide end. Drain on paper towels.

Bake:

8. Bake 11 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
   
   Makes about 3 dozen cookies
   
   TheBakingPan.com
   _________________________________________________