Greek Cretan Biscuits (Almond Cookies)

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease or spray two large trays with oil, then line them with baking paper.

Step 2: Optional: Roast the almonds on a small tray for 7 minutes, shaking the tray once halfway through. Cool the almonds on the tray.

Step 3: Crush the almonds in a food processor or in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin until they resemble coarse sand with some small lumps.

Tip: Keep some small almond pieces; do not grind the almonds into fine meal.

Step 4: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Step 5: In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a handheld beater until soft and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the egg and vanilla, then beat until combined.

Tip: The butter and sugar take about 1 1/2 minutes on medium-high. If the mixture looks a little split after adding the egg, it will come together when the flour is added.

Step 6: Add the flour mixture in three additions, beating between each until the flour is mostly mixed in. Start the beater on low and increase to medium; some visible flour is fine between additions.

Tip: The recipe gives about 7 seconds of beating for each addition.

Step 7: Add the crushed almonds and beat on medium until no flour is visible.

Step 8: Roll the dough into 30 balls, using 2 tablespoons of dough for each or a #40 cookie scoop. Slightly flatten each ball to about 2 cm / 0.8 inch thick, then place the cookies 4 cm / 1.6 inches apart on the trays. Brush the tops with egg white and add a pinch of almond flakes to each; there is no need to press them in.

Tip: The egg white helps the almond flakes stick. The recipe’s described method is to scoop the dough onto the trays first, then roll and flatten each portion.

Step 9: Bake both trays together for 20 minutes, or until the cookies in the middle are light golden and those at the tray edges are slightly more golden.

Step 10: Cool the cookies on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Tip: The recipe advises cooling for at least a further 10 minutes on the rack before eating; warm cookies are fragile.