Cashew Nut Cookies 1

A few years ago, just before hubby and I got married, we made our annual trip back to his hometown in Malaysia. There, my mother-in-law would often have a shoebox filled with newspaper cuttings reserved for us. Occasionally, she will call me down to her kitchen and show me more newspaper clippings, usually recipes that she wanted to try but does not have the time or opportunity and would then stuff the clippings in one of her drawers.

I recall that she showed me a recipe for Hup Tow Sou before or a type of melt in your mouth cashew nut cookies. She reminded me that hubby's favourite cookie is that, and she has reserved the recipe in the event that one day she would be able to make it for him. She handed the recipe to me and asked me to give it a go, given that it is not often he comes home.

Now, I did try that recipe, twice in fact and I failed sooo miserably with it. I don't even recall taking any photos or documenting it-probably due to it being such a failure (and u guys know I am not shy with documenting my challenges in baking) that it was too traumatic for me to remember it. Or perhaps, not wanting my mother in law to know that I didn't succeed! Not that she would mind I am sure, but the self talk of being a new wife, and the bruised ego of not being even able to make my hubby's favourite childhood cookie clouded over me for a while.

Exaggeration aside, I never did try attempting any other form of cashew nut cookies since then. Silly me really, because my mouth waters when Little Corner's and Lily's new year goodies posts came to mind. This time, I decided to go with a recipe from a book that I have other success from. It wasn't the traditional Hup Tow Sou but it has a lovely crisp cashew nut flavour, with a melt in your mouth texture. I would say this has a more crisp texture as well.

You can imagine the relief that wash over me when the batch of cookies came out looking normal. ;P

Cashew Nut Cookies (makes around 50) 

250 grams butter
180 grams icing sugar
400 grams plain flour
1 tsp baking powder 
180 grams of ground cashew nuts (using nuts that were roasted)
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
100 grams of whole cashew nuts for garnishing

Egg wash- 1 egg yolk ( I used the whole egg)

Preheat oven to 160C. Line 2 or 3 baking trays with baking paper.

Sift plain flour and baking powder. In another bowl, cream butter and icing sugar together. Add in the egg yolk and vanilla essence. Flour flour and ground cashew nuts to batter. Mix well til it forms a dough. Shape dough in little balls using a tsp. Alternatively, you can roll it out and use a cookie cutter. Brush dough with egg wash and press a cashew nut on top. Bake for 20-25 mins.