Irene's Cretan Biscuits

🥘 Ingredients

• blanched almonds 0.67 cup
• plain flour 2 ½ cups
• baking powder 4 tsp
• salt 1 pinch
• unsalted butter 250 g
• white sugar ¾ cups
• large egg 1
• vanilla extract ½ tsp
• egg white 1
• almond flakes ¼ cup

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease (or spray with oil) 2 large trays and line with baking paper (parchment paper).
2. 2

   Roast blanched almonds (100 g) for 7 minutes on a small tray, shaking once halfway. Cool almonds on the tray.
3. 3

   Bash/blitz the almonds using a food processor or ziplock bag with a rolling pin until they resemble coarse sand with some small lumps.
4. 4

   Whisk together plain flour , baking powder , and salt in a medium bowl . Set aside.
5. 5

   In a separate bowl , beat unsalted butter (2 sticks, softened) and white sugar (or caster sugar) using a handheld beater until it is soft and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed, for about 1 ½ minutes on medium high. Add large egg (room temperature) and vanilla extract , then beat until mixed in.
6. 6

   Add the flour mixture in 3 lots, beating in between until the flour is mostly mixed in (some visible white flour is ok). Start the beater on low and increase to medium, about 7 seconds each go.
7. 7

   Add the crushed almonds then beat on medium until you can no longer see flour.
8. 8

   Roll 30 x 2 Tbsp balls (using a 40 cookie scoop) then slightly flatten to about 2 cm / 0.8" thick. Place the cookies 4 cm / 1.6" apart on the trays. Brush the top with egg white (lightly whisked) then place a pinch of almond flakes on top.
9. 9

   Bake both trays together for 20 minutes or until the cookies in the middle are light golden and the ones on the edge of the tray are slightly more golden.
10. 10

    Cool for 5 minutes on the tray then transfer onto a wire rack to fully cool.