cookiebook

2 egg whites 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 2 tablespoons chopped pistachio (or your favorite) nuts Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time; beat until very stiff. Mix in extract. Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets covered with brown or parchment paper. Shape each into a mound the size of a small walnut; using a spoon, make a depression in center of each cookie. Bake at 250 degrees F. about 30 minutes. Cool cookies. Fill depression with teaspoon of Fudge Filling; sprinkle with nuts. Makes about 5 dozen. Fudge Filling 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup chocolate chips 2 egg yolks 2 tablespoons powdered sugar Melt butter with chocolate in saucepan. Beat egg yolks slightly; stir in sugar. Blend egg mixture into chocolate. Cook at very low heat 1 minute. Stir constantly. Remove from heat; stir until cool. Scandinavian Drops 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 1 egg yolk 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour 1 egg white 3/4 to 1 cup chopped nuts

Red or green jelly Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cream butter; add sugar gradually. Add egg yolk; beat until light. Blend in flour. Roll dough into small balls about 1-inch in diameter. Beat egg white slightly with a fork. Dip cookies in egg white. Roll in chopped nuts. Place on greased cookie sheets. Make a depression in the center of each ball. Bake at 300 degrees F. about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Press down centers again. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer. Cool. Fill centers with jelly (candied cherries, small pieces of candied apricot or prune may also be used). Makes about 2 dozen