Almond Cookies

These are the easiest little cookies to make yet. Just throw the 4 ingredients plus a pinch of salt into a food processor. Blend. Chill. Roll out, place an almond on top and cook. And they are gluten free. It sounds too easy, I know, and they are really tasty. Great as a little petit four or a teatime treat.

Ingredients - makes approximately 20 small cookies

140g icing sugar

140g ground almonds

1 egg white

0.5 tsp almond essence

Pinch of salt

To finish:

20 whole blanched almonds

Method

Put the 4 ingredients, plus a pinch of salt, into a food processor and blend.

Tip the dough onto a large sheet of cling film and gather it up into a ball.

Wrap the cling film around the dough and roll it to make a sausage shape, around 3cm in diameter.

Chill for an hour or so.

Heat oven to 160°c

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Cut slices of the dough, about 1cm thick and roll the slices into balls. Flatten them slightly and press an almond gently into the centre of each.

Place the cookies onto the lined baking sheet and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. The under sides should be golden when they are cooked.

Cool on a cake rack and sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.

They keep in a tin for a few days with a silica gel sachet (see tips page) - but they might not as they are very more-ish!