Categories: cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- confectioners' sugar
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 8 oz. (generous 1 1/2 cups) blanched or un-blanched almonds
- 2 pkg. ( 4oz. each) sweet cooking chocolate, coarsely cut
- 2 extra-large or jumbo egg whites
Directions
- Cream butter in large bowl of electric mixer. Add vanilla and 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth. On low speed, add flour, scraping bowl with rubber spatula and beating until mixture holds together. Transfer to piece of waxed paper, flatten slightly, then shape in oblong. Wrap airtight and refrigerate briefly while preparing centers.
- Grind almonds and chocolate fine in blender (or use nut grinder). Mix together in bowl, then mix in unbeaten egg whites. Knead briefly in bowl until mixture holds together.
- Divide in 40 pieces, using about 1 tablespoon for each, and put on waxed paper or foil. Roll each piece between hands to for a round ball and put back on waxed paper.
- Remove dough from refrigerator (it should be hard) Cut in 40 pieces. Flatten each piece in palm of hand and wrap around chocolate ball to cover completely. Roll in ball, dusting hands lightly with confectioners’ sugar if dough sticks. Put 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake on rack one third down from top of preheated 375 degree oven, reversing position of cookie sheet if necessary during baking to insure even browning, 18 to 20 minutes, or until very lightly browned.
- Cool o sheet a minute or two, then, with wide spatula, transfer to rack to cool. If desired, top cooled cookies with a bit of confectioners’ sugar sprinkled through fine strainer.