Happy New Year! Wednesday Recipes: Chocolate-Almond Lace Cookies

This recipe is my latest adventure from the Lynchburg, VA Junior League Cookbook that I'm working my way through in an attempt to try all the recipes in my lifetime.

I served these at our neighborhood Christmas progressive dinner party and people raved--awesome, and "I have to have this recipe." So, here we go (and isn't that a great feeling when people appreciate your cooking?).

Yield: 8 dozen

Ingredients:

3/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup self-rising flour

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup ground toasted almonds (Process whole almonds in food processor until barely chunky. Spread on baking sheet and bake in 300 degrees oven for about 5 minutes, watching closely).

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Combine butter, flour, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and almonds in mixing bowl (I used the metal bowl that comes with my stand mixer as that holds the cold).

2. Chill several hours or overnight (dough should be kept chilled and fairly hard while you are working with it--place it back in the refrigerator after you've prepared a pan or two--and then pull back out for the next batch).

3. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease well with butter; repeat greasing procedure after each batch.

4. Drop dough by even 1/4 teaspoonfuls (yes, this is small but they spread) onto foil, spacing cookies widely apart.

5. Bake in preheated 325 degrees oven for approximately 10 minutes, watching closely toward end of baking time, until golden brown.

6. Cool slightly and remove from baking sheet with metal spatula.

7. Melt chocolate over low heat, being careful not to scorch. *I had to reheat over low as baking cookies took some time and chocolate re-solidified and that's okay.

8. Spread small amount of melted chocolate on one cookie bottom and press another cookie onto it (bottom to bottom). Twist top cookie about 1/4 turn to spread chocolate.

9. Repeat with remaining cookies. Cool filled cookies in refrigerator before storing at room temperature.

From Ann MacLean Massie, Good Cooking from the Heart of Virginia, Junior League of Lynchburg, Virginia, Inc 1985,.

These are a bit of work, but they are worth it!

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! Be safe and know you are in my prayers.