Moroccan Almond Cookies

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds, ground 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, softened ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ¾ teaspoon almond extract 2 cups flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla and almond extract, and beat well.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and ground almonds. Using a large spoon, gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until it is well blended.

Dip hands in flour and roll teaspoons of dough into 1-inch balls. Place them on greased cookie sheets and flatten each cookie slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in flour. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are barely brown. Remove them from the oven, allow them to cool for 1 minute, and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 3 ½ dozen 2-inch cookies