White Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies

Fewer words, more baking…

(…or action, depending on what you do)

The times are tough for this country and everyone seems to be talking about one or two things (the recession and the elections that we had on Sunday, in particular), what is going to happen or what isn’t going to happen. Everyone seems to have an opinion (especially the taxi drivers seem to be experts) and the saying  opinions are like assholes… keeps coming back to my mind, making me laugh on my own. In all this, I am trying to keep calm  and retain a zen like state, no matter what.

Fortunately the super duper full moon has passed and maybe, I wish, I will be able to gather my scattered pieces (although the spring is to blame, I think we all agreed on that) and focus on something.  So, the other day (election day that is) I planted a couple of basils, some new succulents I stole from a friend’s house and baked these cookies (I also wanted to get rid of some bits and pieces I had in my cupboards and fridge).

A few words about the recipe

• The original recipe calls for macademia nuts (I don’t dare to buy any because they will not make it home), but I replaced it with white almonds, which I toasted in a pan for a few minutes.
• I put half white chocolate drops and the rest in chunks.
• The original recipe calls for half butter and half shortening, but I used butter as it’s the only thing I had (that is why the cookies spread a little more and came out crunchier and darker).
• These cookies are on the sweet side and the white chocolate does add a lot of sweetness and richness. If you do not like very sweet cookies, this recipe may not be for you (you can always reduce the amount of sugar but the texture of the cookie might change
• Always check if the cookies are ready in the minimum time given by the recipe. If you like cookies soft, remove them a  bit ahead. If you like them crunchier let them little more in the oven.
•  To keep them fresh, store in an airtight jar/container. If they are too soft, you can put them in the oven for a few minutes to harden,  while if you want them to stay soft, you can add a slice of bread or a small slice of apple.
• You can make and freeze the dough for future baking. With an ice cream scoop (or 2 tablespoons) scoop little balls, fast freeze them for 30-40 minutes and then pack in an airtight bag (2 bags even better, because they tend to absorb odors in the freezer). Make sure that you write on the bag the type of cookies,  date of freezing and baking instructions, cause trust me, you are not going to remember what it is after 1 month, or find the recipe. Many  people bake straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the baking time, others prefer to thaw them  for a few hours in the refrigerator and then bake (I bake from the freezer with no problems). Keep them in the freezer for 4-6 weeks.