Dates, almonds, and ginger what a crazy idea, but I had to try it and am so glad I did. Dates are perfect for a shortbread since it adds a perfect amount of sweetness.
Dates
The dates at the store were big and plump and just calling my name when perusing through the grocery aisles. According to organicfact.net
Dates are rich in various nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants, dates are popular throughout the world and are consumed as a dried fruit.
For more information, read the 13 proven benefits of dates. It is incredible what this fruit can provide.
Ginger
Ginger comes in so many verities from fresh, ground, candied, and paste that it was sort of hard to choose. Fresh can be fibrous and hard to regulate through a cookie batter. You can certainly read up on the benefits of consuming ginger at Medical New Today. I found at the grocery store a tube of ginger paste and have been dying to try it in a recipe. Making this cookie gave me a perfect chance to find out how it blends through the cookie dough.
Gourmet Garden ginger paste product did not disappoint me in any way. I cannot tell you how well it blended through the cookie dough and you didn't feel like you were chewing on a stalk. Plus it spreads evenly through the cookies and not chunks that you bite into once in a while.
Almonds
Rounding out the ingredients I wanted something with a little crunch, almond slivers were just what this cookie needed. If you are feeling rather adventurous here is a site that tells you how to make your own slivered almonds.
Dates with Almonds and Ginger Cookies
Barbara HallIngredients
- 1 cup Butter unsalted 2 sticks room temperature
- ⅔ cup Powdered sugar 83 g
- 2 teaspoon Ginger paste
- 1-½ tablespoon Orange zest
- 16 Dates cut up
- ¾ cup Almonds blanched
- 2 cups All-purpose flour 240 g
- ¼ teaspoon Baking power
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Zest one orange into a small bowl and set aside. Cut up 16 good size dates and set aside in a small bowl. Weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Run a whisk through to blend them. In another small bowl, weigh or measure the powdered sugar and set that aside.
- In a stand or hand-held mixer cream the butter till light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Turn mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar till blended. Add the orange zest and ginger and incorporated on medium speed. Stop and scrape down the sides if it needs it. Turn the mixer to low again and add the flour mixture and blend. Turn the mixer off and add the almonds and dates to the batter and mix through on medium speed for 30 seconds to a minute. You can always blend through more by hand if you see it needs it.
- Take the cookie dough out of the mixing bowl and put it on a silicone pastry sheet. You can use a floured countertop, but this adds more flour to the cookie dough. Divide the cookie dough in half and roll into a cylinder shape. Here is where you have options, I rolled mine to 2" thick diameter to make a bigger cookie. You want to cut the cylinders in ½" disks so the fatter the cylinder, the fewer cookies you will get. Roll them in plastic wrap and place on a small cookie pan. Put into the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Take out of the refrigerator 1 of the cylinders of cookie dough and unwrap from plastic wrap. Slice the cylinder every ½" and place on a cookie pan with parchment paper. Bake for 11-12 minutes till it is not shiny on the top. Leave on pan for a minute before moving to a cooling rack. Do the same to the second cylinder.
Leave a Reply