Soetkoekies - Sweet Wine and Spice South African Cookies

I got this from a very old (1970) African Cookbook and am posting it for the ZWT 4.
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Yields:
- Units:
1
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ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 - 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
- cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1⁄4 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1⁄4 cup port wine (or Madeira or a sweet sherry)
- 1⁄2 cup blanched almond, finely chopped
- 15 whole blanched almonds, split lengthwise into halves
- 1 egg white, combined with 2 teaspoons of water and beaten to a froth
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt together and set aside.
- In a deep bowl, cream the butter and the dark-brown sugar together, mashing and beating them against the sides of the bowl until they are thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, then add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Beat in the wine and chopped almonds.
- With your hands, vigorously knead the dough in the bowl until it can be gathered into a somewhat firm, compact ball. If the dough then seems too soft, knead in up to 1/4 cup more flour, adding it a tablespoon or so at a time.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rough circle about 1/4 inch thick. With a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut it into 2-inch rounds. Arrange the rounds about 1 inch apart on the buttered baking sheets. Then gather the scraps of dough into a ball, roll it out into another circle, and cut out rounds as before.
- Press a blanched almond half lightly into the center of each Soetkoekie and brush the entire top surface of the cookie with the beaten egg white-and-water mixture.
- Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until they are crisp and firm to the tough. With a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool. The cookies will keep for up to two weeks in a tightly covered jar.
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@CaliforniaJan
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@CaliforniaJan
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"I got this from a very old (1970) African Cookbook and am posting it for the ZWT 4."
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7/30 - I've returned to increase the rating on this cookie. I never make rolled and cut cookies and I'm returning to make more of this one. The longer these were around, the more I enjoyed snacking on them. This made a nice cookie and was a wonderful way to put my Madeira to use. Two other substitutions I made (besides the Madeira) were: 1/4 c. almond meal instead of chopped almonds, and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend instead of straight brown sugar. All substitutions worked out just fine. I will keep this on hand in case I need a use for Madeira, Port or Sherry. Thanks! Reviewed for ZWT4Reply
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7/30 - I've returned to increase the rating on this cookie. I never make rolled and cut cookies and I'm returning to make more of this one. The longer these were around, the more I enjoyed snacking on them. This made a nice cookie and was a wonderful way to put my Madeira to use. Two other substitutions I made (besides the Madeira) were: 1/4 c. almond meal instead of chopped almonds, and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend instead of straight brown sugar. All substitutions worked out just fine. I will keep this on hand in case I need a use for Madeira, Port or Sherry. Thanks! Reviewed for ZWT4Reply