CNY is around the corner.... Part 1

Hi all. As every Chinese person knows, Chinese New Year is around the corner. More precisely, this year, it lands on the 3rd of February.... and also, it is finally my year again. The year of the rabbit!!! Hopefully, this year will be a lucky year for us 1987 kids!! And rightfully so! I've actually been succesful in cooking my macaron's again the 2nd time around. Thank you God for these blessed hands

Just to let you guys know as well. I am actually trying to make all different sorts of new year desserts in the coming weeks leading up to chinese new year. This allows me to enjoy my chinese new year away from home and also allows you to have an insight into what family traditions we have in Malaysia over the new years celebrations. Food of course is only one part... but visiting family and friends and playing with firecrackers are what really makes up our Chinese New Year in Malaysia.

I'm probably boring you guys now... Without further ado!

CNY Almond Cookies

 The recipe can be found on this blog ( http://www.malaysiabest.net/2008/02/03/recipe-almond-cookies-for-chinese-new-year/ ). All credits go to this awesome mother blogger. I merely halved her recipe to make mine. And it actually makes 2 trays full...As a bonus, its REALLY easy to make.

CNY Almond Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:
200g roasted almonds (no skin, blended in food processor)
200g flour
170g castor sugar (the finer the sugar the better)
a pinch of salt
50g of unsalted butter
sufficient oil to hold the product together (I used 1/2 cup of peanut oil - might have used too little...)
egg white (to glaze)

Steps:
1) Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Knead till it looks like bread crumbs.
2) Add in the blended almond and mix well.
3) The next step is to add in the oil till it binds the mixture together so you can mould it into a ball. Do not add too much oil otherwise it wont taste as good.. (and really unhealthy too).
4) Glaze the top of the cookies with egg whites. Then put it in the oven for 15-20mins at 200celcius.

Enjoy! These cookies are REALLY addictive. I shall warn you now... I bear no responsibility for you gaining weight =)