In Star-Crossed Egg Tarts, enchanted baker Felicity Jin is magically gifted with the recipe for almond cookies. (Read the novel to find out how…) In real life, my daughter gifted me this recipe after several baking-bonding attempts in the kitchen during pandemic lockdown times.
~Auspicious Almond Cookies~
Makes about 24 (2 dozen) cookies
Ingredients:
1 ⅓ cups sifted all-purpose flour
⅝ cup white sugar
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup butter
1 ½ tsp almond extract (1 tsp if less almond flavor is desired)
1 egg
24 almond slices
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Put parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl. Cut in the butter (very important, don’t skip this) until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the almond extract. Combine white and yolk of egg; add half of it to the bowl. Mix well. The dough will appear too crumbly in the beginning, but when you mix it long enough, it will get the right consistency (that’s why you only need half an egg).
Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Set them 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Press down with your thumb to flatten each cookie slightly. Place an almond slice in the middle of each cookie.
Combine the other half of the egg and ½ tbsp water to make a light egg wash glaze. Using a basting brush, cover the tops of the cookies with the glaze. You can adjust the amount of glaze on each cookie depending on how much almond cookie shine you want.
Bake in oven until the edges of the cookies are golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
Note: They taste even better the
second day when the almond flavor has set in.
Readers: Share about a recipe that’s been passed down or given to you. Comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Star-Crossed Egg Tarts (US residents only).
Felicity Jin returns in the second book in the
heart-warming and deliciously mysterious Magical Fortune Cookie series from
Lilian Jackson Braun Award-nominee Jennifer J. Chow.
Jin Bakery has been asked to cater the Lum-Wu outdoor wedding at Pixie Park.
The day of the ceremony, Felicity is finishing the “cake” of tiered egg tarts
as the wedding party arrives for the ceremony. When one of the groomsmen, Miles
Wu, doesn’t arrive, Felicity’s best friend and local florist Kelvin generously
steps in for him and the wedding goes smoothly―until cake cutting time.
That’s when Felicity finds Miles’ dead body beneath the table with her egg
tarts display, stabbed by Kelvin’s gardening shears. With the detective’s
sights on Kelvin, Felicity starts sleuthing away to prove his innocence,
revealing dark secrets about all the wedding's attendants. They each had
something to hide―and a reason to quiet Miles forever. To make matters worse,
Felicity’s powers of prediction are on the fritz thanks to the emotional
turmoil of a surprise visit from her estranged father.
When the groom gets poisoned at the send-off party and winds up in a coma, the
stakes are even higher, not to mention Felicity’s feelings for Kelvin are
beginning to feel more than friendly. Will Felicity’s magic return in time to
catch the true culprit and rescue her budding relationship with Kelvin?
JENNIFER J. CHOW writes cozies filled with hope and heritage. She has been a finalist for the Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award. Kirkus Review said this of her Magical Fortune Cookie mysteries: “Good things lie ahead in this series.” Star-Crossed Egg Tarts was highlighted in Book Riot, Criminal Element, and Fresh Fiction. Jennifer is a past president of Sisters in Crime and an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America. She regularly blogs at chicksonthecase.com. Connect with her online and sign up for her newsletter at JenniferJChow.com.
Love these books! The almond cookie recipe is one Iwilluse..as are many from this site,…and the title of this book, the egg custard tarts..can’t resist ..hope to read it soon!
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks so much! Honored that you'll be using the recipe! Happy eating--and reading!
DeleteGlad to be on the blog today! Special thanks to Edith/Maddie for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWe are delighted to have you! I always make my mother's Christmas cookie recipes which she learned from both my grandmothers: English butter cookies, Mexican Bridecakes, Res Sugar cookies, Spritz cookies, and more. Yum.
Delete(Red Sugar, not Res Sugar...)
DeleteHow delightful! What a treasure trove of recipes!
DeleteThank you for the recipe and chance to win! One of my treasured recipes is my late, paternal grandmother's recipe for apple cake. The special ingredient in this recipe is coffee.
ReplyDeletemadamhawk at gmail dot com
Mmm, that apple cake sounds delicious! Coffee as the special ingredient sounds like a winner!
DeleteHi! You’re the giveaway winner, and I’ll email you soon about it!
DeleteA recipe handed down from my Granny would be her old fashion Tea Cakes, which is one my hubby’s favorites.
ReplyDeleteA recipe handed down from my Mom is the recipe for Ozark Honey Oatmeal Cookies, which is the one folks most request the recipe for. The wonderful thing about these is that the older they get the better they get. They also freeze well and are an excellent shipping cookie.
OZARK HONEY OATMEAL COOKIES
Ingredients
½ cup shortening
1 ¼ cup of sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cup flour
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup finely ground pecans
Directions
Heat oven to 375 (in my oven I use 350) degrees.
Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, honey, soda and salt thoroughly.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate dough for a short while makes it easier to use a cookie scoop for me.
Either shape in rounded teaspoons or scoop of a small cookie scoop (I use level with the top of mine). Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Flatten cookies with sugar coated flat bottom glass.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes (bit longer in 350 degree oven and I rotate pan after 7-8 minutes) or until lightly brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet.
Love baking hand me down recipes because they always bring back sweet memories of the one that gave them to me. <3
Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a signed copy of STAR-CROSSED EGG TARTS! It’s most definitely already on my TBR list. I can’t wait for the opportunity to read and review it.
Have a fabulous first day of daylight saving time day!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thanks for sharing your recipes! Love that the oatmeal cookies are even better the older they get!
DeletePEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
ReplyDelete1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Melt in microwave for 1 minute.
Stir
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla
Add 1 pound (16 ounces) of confectioners’ sugar. I usually add the sugar till it becomes a soft ball and pulls away from the side of the bowl, so sometimes it’s a little more than 1 pound.
Place into a waxed paper lined 9 X 9 pan. Use a second piece of waxed paper to press into pan and make level. Optionally, then you can sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and use that second piece of wax paper to press them into the fudge.
Place in the refrigerator. Take fudge out of the refrigerator to warm up a little before placing onto a cutting board to cut into pieces.
Yum! And I appreciate how few ingredients are needed for this tasty fudge!
DeleteThey're bound to be very Almond, Might be an idea for a murder mystery,
ReplyDeleteHa! You’re totally right!
DeletePoppy seed bread, using a brioche type dough and delicious poppy seed filling is a recipe my grandmother, mother and all her sisters made. I don't make it often anymore, but have a couple of cousins who make it regularly. It's always the first thing to go at any family gathering. Congrats on the book birthday! makennedyinaz at hotmail dot com
ReplyDeleteOoh, poppy seed filling! That’s such a fun food tradition! And thank you!
DeleteCongrats on your new release and thank you for sharing this great recipe! My mom gave me her mom's recipe for Cheesey Chicken Mushroom Bake which is decadent and buttery and full of cheesy chicken goodness. Imagine fried chicken cooked in cream of mushroom with extra mushrooms and tons of cheddar cheese melted on top then served over rice. Thank you for the opportunity to win your latest book! tracy.condie@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like amazing comfort food! Thanks for sharing, Tracy!
DeleteA favorite treat which I make for important celebrations is Chocolate Babka which my grandmother made. She was a creative and talented baker and I learned from her. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love how these treats are passed down through the generations. What a wonderful way to keep the baking talent and memories going…
DeleteMy grandmother's fabulous cornbread dressing (some call it stuffing) is my favorite passed down recipe. It is a must have for our family gatherings. People - other than family - who have tried it also rave about how delicious it is!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Nothing better than fabulous cornbread dressing! Although I do tend to call it stuffing…
DeleteThe green plates set the cookies off beautifully.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
Thanks, Libby! Can’t take any photo credit. That was a lovely plating pic that Kim Davis sent me! 🙂
DeleteShe's very good at that, isn't she?
DeleteOh, boy, do these sound amazing! I worked as a waitress at a Chinese restaurant when I was in my twenties, and we were allowed to eat anything we wanted--except the green tea ice cream and the almond cookies. (Guess what we'd sneak when the boss was away....)
ReplyDeleteSo fun to have you in the Kitchen today, my dear, and see you in a few days at Left Coast Crime!
Haha! I used to sneak so many fortune cookies from our family restaurant.
DeleteCan’t wait for LCC!
Welcome, Jenn -- we always love a guest who brings us cookies! Now just slide that plate through the screen . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leslie! We really do need a way to teleport foods through the screen!
DeleteMy Aunt taught me a recipe for lasagna that I still make. So delicious and easy. Thank you for the Almond cookie recipe. I cannot wait to make them. Deborah deborahortega229@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMmm, lasagna is my ultimate comfort meal. Thanks for stopping by, and happy baking!
DeleteWelcome back to the Kitchen, Jenn! What a lovely post and winning recipe. Thank you for sharing the Almond Cookies ~ and your terrific mysteries. On your question, my Italian-born mom and dear Aunt Mary passed many recipes down to me, including one of my favorites, Anginetti (Italian lemon cookies). As you've shown us today, family recipes are the best.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cleo! Family recipes and family time together really is the best! And the Anginetti cookies sound lovely!
DeleteYour cookies look delicious. I love almond cookies. I have my mom's icebox cookies recipe, but the one I always wanted and never got was her fudge recipe. She stopped making it probably 20 years before she passed away and it was never written down. lkish77123 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteAww, that's too bad about the fudge. But I'm glad you got the icebox cookies passed down to you. (My mom didn't usually write down any steps, so meals I recreate from her come from observing her cook.)
DeleteThanks for visitng MLK today and sharing your cookie recipe. Any cookie that doesn't require rolling is a good cookie. And your book sounds great too. ~Maya
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Maya! Happy to visit today!
DeleteMy great-grandmother's chocolate chip cookie recipe. It has been passed down for generations. It's one of my favorite cookie recipes to make!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance!
jarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com
Can't go wrong with a great chocolate chip cookie recipe!
DeleteTwo recipes come to mind. One is my great-grandmother's recipe for egg noodles that were always a staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. I remember my grandmother and my great aunt always made the noodles and then would fuss with each other over how thin to cut them. Grandmother-skinny noodles, Aunt Marie- thicker noodles. I think we ended up with some of both. The other recipe is my Mother recipe for lasagna which she got from her nephew and was her go to recipe for guests. It is my favorite and my sister still makes it for me on my birthday.
ReplyDeleteTwo different types of noodles, but both still delicious--how wonderful! And that's so sweet how your sister makes that special lasagna dish for your birthday.
DeleteMy mom doesn't write down recipes. She does a pinch of this and that type of cooking. For me to learn her recipes, such as her chicken noodle soup recipe, I have had to stand next to her and watch her. Then I have to estimate how much she is putting in of each item. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThis is how I have to get many of my cooking "recipes"--by standing next to my relative at the stove!
DeleteI don't have the recipe but my grandmother was known for her applesauce cake! lindaherold999(at)gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteYum! I lost my friend's apple cake recipe year ago, and I'm still sad about it.
Delete