Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians here and abroad!

This Canada Day marks a decade of our family’s celebration of Canada’s “birthday”. What used to be a country that felt so foreign to me, is now a place I couldn’t be without: home. And there’s no place like it! :-)

[Recipe to follow for the almond sugar cookie above.]

- – - – - – -

After making and finishing (which was way too easy) the Bakewell Tart/Pudding, I was left not only with ground almonds, but also a taste for more almonds. I love almonds. When I get pearl milk tea (or bubble tea or ‘boba’), I almost always order the almond-flavored one. I made these cookies with the thought of the tart in mind. I want something that is like it, but in cookie form. To make me feel like I stayed true to the bakewell tart, I even beat the butter and sugar to light- and airiness. The result was a semi-light, semi-crunchy, chewy and slightly sweet cookie that you can enjoy any time of the day. It is even better 2 days after baking. If you’re craving for almond flavor and sugar cookies without the sugar overload, look no further.

Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
•    6 oz cake flour (or ¾ cups*)
•    4 oz unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
•    4 oz sugar (1/2 cup*)
•    2 oz ground almonds (1/3 cup*)
•    1 large egg
•    ½ tsp almond extract
•    ¼ tsp salt
•    ¼ tsp baking powder
•    Optional: colored or coarse sugar for garnish
* Please note that I only measured and baked with the weight measurements. I researched the equivalent of the weights and provided them for you in case you do not have a kitchen scale.)

Preparation
1.    Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet and set aside.
2.    Beat butter, sugar, egg and almond extract until light and airy, about 5 minutes.
3.    Add the remaining ingredients and mix for another 2 minutes. You will end up with loose/soft dough, almost like choux dough.
4.    Wrap and seal dough in plastic wrap, keeping in mind to shape it into a 6-inch cylinder. Cool in the fridge for an hour.
5.    Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice into ¼-inch-thick rounds and place on lined cookie sheet 1.5” apart. You can also roll the dough and use cookie cutters. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake for 14 minutes.
6.    Cool completely before serving. If you can wait at least 24 hours to eat it, you will be rewarded with a cookie that’s is soft, chewy and slightly crunchy. Enjoy!