Finska Pinnar
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup finely chopped almond slices
- 4 tbsps granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp water
- 3 squares of semisweet chocolate
- 2 tsps Crisco shortening
- 1 egg white
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 ¾ cups confectioners sugar
- small amount of milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 ºF.
- In a large bowl beat butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and almond extract with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in flour until soft dough forms.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Combine finely chopped almonds and the 4 tablespoons sugar in a shallow bowl or on a plate.
- Beat egg yolk and water in a small bowl until blended.
- Once dough has been chilled, pinch off about 2 teaspoons of dough (for each cookie) and then roll on a floured surface to a 21/2 - 3 inch length and about the thickness of your pinkie (this brings me back to my youth when I used to make Play-Doh worms). It is also easiest to roll the dough when it is cold, so sometimes I take out only half the dough at a time.
- Brush the cookie with the egg wash and then dip it into the nut mixture.
- Place each cookie about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375ºF for about 12 minutes (or until lightly golden on top). The cookies will flatten into ovals during baking. Cool one minute and then place cookies on wire rack to cool completely (I suggest you place waxed paper under the wire racks to keep your counter clean while decorating).
- While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate with the shortening in a double boiler or a shallow bowl in a pot of water. Don’t let it boil. Let it cool slightly, then using a small spoon drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern down the length of each cookie.
- For the royal frosting, beat the egg white and lemon juice in a bowl until foamy. Slowly beat in the confectioners sugar until frosting is stiff. Add a small amount of milk to the royal frosting so it is thin enough to drip off a spoon. Drizzle the royal frosting in a zigzag pattern down the length of the cookie over the chocolate. Let it set.
Notes
Makes about three dozen.
"These cookies store well in an airtight container for a week and will even keep longer if stored in a cool location. At Christmas time I keep my cookie containers out in our garage where it is cooler." ~ Susan Ricca
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