Butter Shortbreads with Almonds (Kourambiethes)
Servings Prep. Time Cooking Time Calories % from Fat Fat Sodium Carbohydrates Protein Cholesterol
40 each N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A


INGREDIENTS:
225 g/8 oz unsalted butter 25 g/1 oz icing sugar, sifted 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon brandy or ouzo 115 g/4 oz finely chopped toasted almonds 350 g/12 oz plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder whole cloves (optional) extra icing sugar, to coat



1 Cream the butter and icing sugar in a bowl until very light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk and brandy or ouzo. Stir in the almonds. Sift the flour with the baking powder and fold it into the butter mixture to form a soft dough. Press with your finger-if it sticks, mix in a little more flour.
2 Preheat the oven to 160 C/325 F/gas mark 3.
3 Take a walnut-sized ball of dough and roll it between the palms of your hands into a sausage shape, tapering at the ends, then bend into a crescent. Repeat with the remaining dough. Insert a whole clove into the middle of each crescent, if desired. Place on lightly greased baking sheets, spacing well apart to allow for spreading. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until only lightly browned-over-browning will alter the flavour. Allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
4 Sift a thick layer of icing sugar onto large sheet of grease-proof paper. Carefully lift the shortbreads onto the sugar using a metal spatula, leaving a little space between each. Sift more icing sugar on top. Leave them to cool and pack into a container, sifting more icing sugar onto each layer. Store at room temperature.

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