Prep Time : 15 + 10 Minutes | Cook Time : 10 Minutes | Total Time : 3 hours | Difficulty : Easy
Hello my lovelies! Valentines – like a lot of holidays – is a good excuse to bake something delicious and fun. Inspired by Samantha Seneviratne and her gorgeous book The New Sugar and Spice – which I have loved for a while now – I was feeling the Persian love cake theme for this Valentines. Because I have been working on my gluten free repertoire lately I had just the quick and easy vehicle for the rich aromatic flavours of rose, almond and cardamom.
These cookies share a lot with traditional love cake and are a great way to make something – for your sweetheart or yourself – that is old and new and rich and light and simple and adventurous all at the same time.
To make the cookie dough, pop the coconut flour, ground almonds, cashews, baking powder, sugar, cardamom and salt into the food processor.
Blitz for a minute or so until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until it has bee completely rubbed in.
Add the egg white and almond extract. Pulse until the dough comes together.
Tip the dough out onto the bench and bring it together. It will be sticky. If you like a bit of texture like I do, mix in a few tablespoons of finely chopped cashews while you’re bringing the dough together.
Divide it into two and form each piece into a log 1 and a half to 2 inches in diameter.
Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap or baking paper, twisting the ends to press the dough into a neater cylinder.
Chill the dough for at least 2 hours in the fridge or freeze for an hour. Heat the oven to 180C (350F). Line 2 cookie sheets with baking paper. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut 1/2 inch slices.
Place the slices onto the trays and use your fingers to tidy up any that have squished a little bit. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden at the edges and the tops look puffed and a bit cracked. As they cool they will settle back. You may be tempted to bake a little longer for a darker golden colour but the middles will lose some of their gloriously soft chewiness.
When the cookies are cold we can give them a romantic bit of make up. Mix the icing ingredients except the rose water together until smooth. Slowly add the rosewater a few drops at a time until the flavour is as you like it. You can dip or drizzle as you like. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios or rose petals for a little extra luxe.
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Persian Love Cookies
Prep Time : 15 + 10 mins | Cook Time : 10 mins | Total Time : 3 hours | Difficulty : Easy | Makes : 30 cookies
Crisp buttery cookies with chewy centres laced with the glorious aromatic flavours of Persian love cake.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon (50 grams) coconut flour
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) raw cashews
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) ground almonds
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg white
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped raw cashews (optional but recommended)
- 1 cup (125 grams) icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- rosewater to taste (no more than a teaspoon)
- few drops of vanilla extract
- a drop of pink food colouring if desired
- dried rose petals or chopped pistachios to decorate
– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients –
Equipment:
- Food processor
- Cookie sheets lined with baking paper
Directions:
To make the dough, pop the coconut flour, ground almonds, cashews, baking powder, sugar, cardamom and salt into the food processor.
Blitz for a minute or so until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until it has bee completely rubbed in.
Add the egg white and almond extract. Pulse until the dough comes together.
Tip the dough out onto the bench and bring it together. It will be sticky. If you like a bit of texture like I do, mix in a few tablespoons of finely chopped cashews while you’re bringing the dough together. Divide it into two and form each piece into a log 1 and a half to 2 inches in diameter.
Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap or baking paper, twisting the ends to press the dough into a neater cylinder.
Chill the dough for at least 2 hours in the fridge or freeze for an hour. Heat the oven to 180C (350F). Line 2 cookie sheets with baking paper. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut 1/2 inch slices.
Place the slices onto the trays and use your fingers to tidy up any that have squished a little bit. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden at the edges and the tops look puffed and a bit cracked. As they cool they will settle back. You may be tempted to bake a little longer for a darker golden colour but the middles will lose some of their gloriously soft chewiness.
When the cookies are cold we can give them a romantic bit of make up. Mix the icing ingredients except the rose water together until smooth. Slowly add the rosewater a few drops at a time until the flavour is as you like it. If the icing is a little thin just add a bit more icing sugar until it will drizzle nicely. You can dip or drizzle as you like. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios or rose petals for a little extra luxe.
Cook’s Notes:
- These cookies can be filled if you like – use a lightly rose flavoured buttercream to sandwich them together.
- Use these cookies to make ice cream sandwiches – use a good quality vanilla ice cream or something with a little
- Be very sparing with the rosewater as flavour can get overwhelming quickly. Add a few drops at a time and taste as you go.
– These cookies are best the day they are iced as rose can dissipate over time but they will keep well in an airtight container for up to a week – the crisp outsides will soften over time –
Adapted from Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich.
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