Saturday and Sunday, we were home bound because of this winter storm – oh my what a storm it was.  It was strong enough that it completely knocked down one of our backyard trees.  Thank god it did not hit lean towards the house.  Saturday morning started out with large stacks of buttermilk pancakes and the night ended with cups of Turkish tea and rice pudding.

Sunday morning was suppose to be a light breakfast – as if that ever hold up to be true, especially when I’m in the mood to cook.  Once I start needless to say, I am a roll. Especially since Aleyna loves to give me a helping hand well more like putting her fingers into everything, well at least it is a learning experience for her.

These cookies came about with my husbands never ending requests of cookies.  Did you buy these cookies? Can you make me these cookies? No, I want them a bit more salty no, I want them a bit more sweet.  I never seem to satisfy his endless request for cookies or puddings, the more I bake the more he wants.  Anything to make my dear happy.

This is widely know and used recipe in Turkey and I wanted keep it simple sort of like a “Five Ingredient” or less recipe.  I’ve searched some recipe books I have at home as well as this thing we call the internet. Finally I ended up using a recipe from Cafe Fernando.  Cenks posted the recipe as Thumbprint Cookies with perserve filling as I opted not to fill in the cookies, making these the simplest hazelnut cookies possible.

SIMPLE HAZELNUT COOKIES
                    Loosely adapted from Cafe Fernando
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts (1 cup as whole) (can be substituted for walnuts or pecans)
• 6 oz butter, at room temperature (1 and 1/2 stick)
• 1/4 cup sugar

Preparation:

1. Over a medium heat, toast the hazelnut - very lightly and set a side to cool.
2. In the mean time in a mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy – about 5 minutes.
3. Once the hazelnuts have cooled, place in a food processor and chop until finely grounded.
4. Whisk the flour and add in the ground hazelnuts into the creamed butter. Mix until well combined.  You should be able to easily create a small ball in the palm of your hand, if it is to sticky place the dough into the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
6. Take a teaspoonful of dough in your hand, form a small ball, press lightly with the back of the of a teaspoon and arrange on baking trays 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the edges are slightly colored.
8. Let the cookies cool and enjoy.

                    

Roast the hazelnuts lighly until they release their oils and get a light brownish color.

Once cooled completely chop in a food processor.

The tower of batter.

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Tags: cafe fernando, findik, hazelnut cookies, simple hazelnut cookies