EPISODE 5

My mother and bubby have an ongoing rivalry over whose mandelbrodt reigns supreme. My mom loads her cookies with toffee bits, chocolate chips, nuts, and dried fruits while my bubby keeps her additions to a minimum. Either way, these cookies are highly addictive and well adored in my family. They make great snacks and can be frozen for months.

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup almonds, mixed with a tbsp or so of the pre-measured flour

Instructions

In the food processor, pulse the butter until it’s smooth. Add the sugar, and pulse until it’s incorporated. Scrape down the sides, add the vanilla, eggs, and lemon zest, and pulse until it is incorporated.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt in three installments, pulsing all the while. Be sure to keep scraping down the sides of the bowl in order to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated.

Add the almonds and pulse until just combined.

Put the dough into a bowl, cover with cling film, and refrigerate until no long sticky (around 2 hours).

Once the dough is pliable and not too sticky, preheat the oven to 350F, and divide the dough into three log-shaped ovals on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the underside is a light golden brown. The top should still be pale.

Let cool for a few minutes, then slice into 1″ pieces, lay out on the baking sheet again, and bake for another 15 minutes. At this point, the end pieces are ready to be removed, and the rest of the cookies are either ready to be turned over or need another few mins to get sufficiently golden brown.

Once the cookies are flipped, bake for another 15 minutes or until both sides are golden and the cookies are deliciously crunchy.