Hazelnut Cookies - CNY 2010

This is the first time that I'm using Hazelnuts to make cookies and was delighted with the result for they tasted good, nutty!
A little about Hazelnuts ....these nuts have been deemed to be most beneficial to heart health.  The vitamin E in them is essential for the healthy heart muscles and also necessary for the normal functioning of the reproduction system.  Vitamin E also serves as a protection against anemia, a deficiency of blood and among all the nuts, hazelnuts are the lowest in saturated fat.  Consuming 25gm of hazelnuts per day protects the body against heart disease, hence it's essential to add this nutritious item to our daily diet.

Mix all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and slowly incorporate them to form a pliable dough.

For a change, I'm using a cookie cutter to stamp out the cookies.

Place the cookies onto a baking sheet, about 1/2 an inch apart, apply egg glaze.

After about 15  mins., the sweet aroma of hazelnut cookies fills the air!

Not only can I add this recipe to my CNY collection, this heart shaped cookies make an ideal gift come this Valentine's day which is on 14th February, 2010 and which coincides with Chinese New Year ......To all of you  .........  'Happy Valentine's Day and Gong Xi Fa Cai'


Recipe for Hazelnut Cookies

Ingredients

• 250 gm ground hazelnuts
• 325 gm plain flour
• 2.1/2  tsp baking powder
• 1  tsp sodium bicarbonate
• 1  tsp salt
• 200 ml vegetable oil
• 150 gm icing sugar
• 1 egg slightly beaten + a pinch of salt as egg glaze

Method

1. Sift the flour with the baking powder, sodium bicarbonate and salt into a  mixing bowl.
2. Sift in the icing sugar and add in the ground hazelnuts.  Mix thoroughly.
3. Gradually add in the vegetable oil and mix into the mixture to form a pliable dough.
4. Rest dough for about 20 to 30 mins.
5. Roll dough out in between 2 plastic sheets to about 1/4 inch thick, cut with cookie cutter of your choice.
6. Place on baking sheet about 1/2 an inch apart, apply egg glaze.
7. Bake in preheated oven @ 180 deg C for about 15 mins. or till golden brown.
8. Cool on wire rack completely before storing in cookie jars.

Note :  For variation, substitute with ground almonds.