Spiced nut cookies

Ingredients

Directions

1. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and allspice to blend well.

2. In a large bowl beat butter with the 1 cup sugar until well combined.

Blend in vanilla. Separate 1 of the eggs, reserving the white.

3. To butter mixture add the egg yolk, then the remaining whole eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth.

4. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing until smooth and well blended. Divide dough in half and wrap each portion in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour). Meanwhile, mix hazelnuts, walnuts, and pine nuts.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to an 8- by 12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle half of the nuts over each portion. Starting with a long side of each rectangle, roll dough to make a compact roll; pinch edge and ends to seal. Place, sealed side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet.

6. Beat the reserved egg white until slightly bubbly and brush generously over each roll. Sprinkle rolls lightly with sugar.

7. Bake until golden brown (35 to 40 minutes). Remove from oven and allow rolls to cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes.

8. Transfer rolls to a board and, using a serrated knife, slice each loaf diagonally into ½-inch-thick slices. Lay slices flat on baking sheets and bake them again in 350 degrees oven until crisply toasted (15 to 20 minutes). Cool on racks.

Recipe By : the California Culinary Academy File