Peanut Cookies

In another two more weeks we will be welcoming the "Monkey" for the coming Chinese New Year.  I am sure those who are celebrating the Chinese New Year, will be busying themselves baking all sorts of cookies.

And my first bake for the CNY cookies is Peanut Cookies.  Though it is quite laborious to make this, I guess it is worth it.  So fragrant and nutty flavour!  

PEANUT COOKIES
Recipe sourced from Food-4Tots 

Ingredients 
300g raw peanuts
250g plain flour
130g icing sugar
135ml peanut cooking oil
15g butter (softened – optional)
Pinch of salt 

Egg Wash 
1 egg yolk (from 1 large size egg; lightly beaten and diluted with 1 tsp milk 


Preparing the peanuts 

Rinse the raw peanuts and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Dry fry the raw peanuts in a big wok or frying pan under medium heat; stir frying from time to time till golden brown.
Remove and set to cool before removing the skin.
Grind the  peanuts till fine or  superfine (to your preference) in a food processor. 


Making the peanut cookies 

In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, icing sugar and salt together.  Add in to the ground peanut and mix it up all together with a hand whisk.
Add in the butter (if you are using it) and slowly pour in the peanut oil till a smooth dough is formed.  (you may have to add extra oil in in order to combine a smooth dough).

Take a small dough weighing about 8g and roll into round size.  Flatten it slightly with your palm.  Repeat till all dough has finished.
Using your clean ballpen cap, lightly press it to the centre top to imprint a design.

Brush the cookies with egg glaze.
Bake the cookies at pre-heated oven 160Celcius for 15-20 minutes.
Cool before store in an air tight container.

I grind my peanuts till superfine to get into a melt in the mouth texture.