BON APPETIT: Hello 2014 and Rustic Chocolate Almond Cookies

I often make resolutions and see them ditched half-way. My hubby jokes that my making resolutions is like the pins on a bowling alley - waiting for a slight nudge to fall all over the places. Around the same time last year I made a list; a 4-point something which I called a Get Better List. Happy to say that I ended up achieving 1 of the 4 (spending less time online). It was possible not because of any conscious drive on my part, rather my getting back to work made a woeful dent on my online time. So this year again, I am back to making a get better list with the same points of 2013 and a little more. However, I would love to spread a little more happiness, share some more sunshine in my own little way. And that's something that does not need a resolution at the beginning of the year :)

What immense joy kids find in small things. It need not be anything fancy or new ; a little something is enough to put a spring in their steps. My bundle of joy often teaches me the joy of little things.The other day he found so much happiness with a cloth bag. For a whole 30 minutes he was so much amused by letting himself in and out of the humble bag. I have never seen him more joyful in recent times . I wish that such innocence and happiness never leaves us

On a relevant note,the Coco cola jingle is doing the rounds yet again and its feel good melody is currently playing in my mind, on a loop ! What better note to welcome 2014 than the foot tapping and meaningful lyrics of the song. Come let's hum along cheerfully ~

"Ummeed wali Dhoop

Sunshine waali Asha

Rone ke wajah kam hai

Hasne ke bahane jyada

Tho kulkar kushi lutao

Yeh kya hai aadha-aadha"

Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.
(Oprah Winfrey)

The festive spirit of the season came knocking my kitchen too. I made a plum cake for the Christmas and baked a couple of different cookies too.

One of them was the rustic and earthy choco-almond cookies from Roxana's space. I must say that the cookies were so delightfully tasty. My son who is otherwise not fond of the nutty almonds, could not get enough of the cookies

The rich nuttiness of the cookies is from the almond flour in the cookies. The almond meal gives the cookies a whole lot of texture and substance.

I never knew making almond flour was so easy. Blanching almonds is the first step which simply involves boiling almonds for 2 minutes. Now take them off heat, drain the water and simply rub off the skin using your hand. Let the almonds dry completely before putting them in a processor to grind it to a flour. Almonds are blanched to give it a better taste. Store unused flour in a cool place.

What's in it :-

Butter - 125 grams
Sugar - 100 to 120 grams (1/2 cup)
Egg white - 1
Vanilla extract - few drops
Finely chopped almonds - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - 40 grams (1/2 cup)
Almond flour - 150 grams (1 1/4 cup) {see above}
Salt - a pinch

Here's How:-

First tip in the butter and sugar and cream it until light and fluffy. Now add the egg white and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl mix the chopped almonds, cocoa powder,almond flour and salt. Add them to the wet ingredients and mix well.

Shape the dough into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and let it cool in the fridge overnight or for a couple of hours. The dough I made stayed in the fridge overnight.

When the dough is chilled heat the oven to 160 C/ 325 F. Pinch small quantity of dough and shape it and place them on greased baking tray. Continue for the rest of the dough.

Bake in preheated oven for about 15-17 minutes. You can decorate the cookies or simply enjoy them the way it is.