A Classic Cookie

Approximating a tasty Jewish-Chinese mashup

After recent excursions to two local delis, I couldn’t get a particular cookie out of my mind. It was a large crumbly nutty cookie with a generous blob of chocolate frosting in the middle. My husband Jeff called it a “Chinese cookie” and insisted on buying one at Canter’s. What was a Chinese cookie doing in a Jewish deli?

When I did a Google search, the Wikipedia entry redirected me to a listing titled Jewish Almond Cookie and identified it as “a popular Jewish cookie made with almonds and commonly served at Jewish delis and eateries.”

The cookie’s origin, according to this source, was most likely tied to the affinity that grew up between Jews and Chinese food in the early 1900s when Chinese restaurants were among the few eateries to welcome Jews. Another reason was that Chinese restaurants seldom combine meat and dairy dishes, a no-no among the kosher set.

And then there was that almond cookie, usually a small round version with a blanched or sliced almond in the center that frequently shows up, along with fortune cookies, at the end of the meal at many Chinese restaurants in this country. It is usually made with oil or vegetable shortening rather than butter, which can also be problematic for Jews who aim to keep their desserts pareve—containing neither dairy nor meat products. Where the chocolate center comes from in the deli version is anyone’s guess.

When I went in search of a recipe, the pickings were slim, some including ground almonds, others ground walnuts, some almond paste (this last, to me, leans more toward a macaroon). There were several recipes for Chinese almond cookies and a few suggested variations, with a chocolate kiss or a dab of fudgy frosting in the middle. A popular one that is similar to the one I used is from Allrecipe.com.

I ended up reworking a recipe with ingredients I had on hand, two-thirds shortening (Miyoko brand vegan butter) and a third unsalted butter. Using butter improved the flavor—and some recipes recommended all butter, but it also makes the cookies spread more. Deli versions made with all-shortening are far denser and thicker, also more crumbly.

Because the Miyoko shortening had salt, I reduced that a bit. The original recipe is from a site called Key Ingredient. Here’s my take on it:

Jewish Bakery Chinese Cookies

(Adapted from keyingredient.com)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 1/2 cups shortening (or a mix of shortening and butter—I used 1 cup shortening, 1/2 cup butter)

• 2 eggs (use one in the batter and save one for glaze)

• 1 teaspoon almond extract vanilla extract (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract + 1/2 tsp almond extract)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt (if you use salted butter or margarine, reduce salt)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped or coarsely ground almonds (toasting is optional, but I think it adds to the flavor. I toast them in a toaster oven and watch like a hawk so they don’t burn!)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped or coarsely ground walnuts

• Chocolate ganache (click this link for the recipe)*

*If you prefer, make the chocolate frosting of your choice, use a commercial brand, or put a Hershey’s chocolate kiss in the middle, as suggested in the original recipe!

I prefer chopping the nuts rather than grinding them because it adds crunch.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream the sugar, shortening (and butter, if using) until well combined in a mixer or by hand. Then add the egg, almond extract (and vanilla, if using), and beat the mixture until light and fluffy.

2. Add flour, baking soda and salt, and ground nuts to mixture.

3. Scrape the dough into a bowl and chill for at least an hour—or up to a day. (For longer storage, roll the dough into plastic wrap and freeze.)

4. When you’re ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, grease 2 to 3 cookie sheets, or cover them with parchment.

5. Scoop 2-3 generous tablespoons of dough from the bowl, heap onto the cookie sheet, pressing the cookies flat with the palm of your hand until they’re the size you’d like.** Be sure to space the cookies at least 2 to 3 inches apart. (If you use part or all butter, the cookies will spread more and be thinner than the bakery version.)

6. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and brush a thin layer over the cookies. This gives them a bit of a sheen. (If you prefer the unglazed look, feel free to omit this step.)

7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are slightly browned at the edges and golden in the middle. Remove carefully to a cooling rack.

8. After cooling the cookies, spread a dollop of chocolate on each one. I halved the recipe—and it made nine large cookies.

**Some recipes suggest small drop cookies; the bakery versions are usually at least the size of your palm, sometimes quite a bit larger. I think it’s a matter of individual taste.​

Jeff’s comment after consuming about three of the cookies was that they were a good approximation of the deli version in terms of flavor, though a bit thinner and less messy. His favorite part? The chocolate ganache!

What’s your favorite deli cookie? Please let me know. If you try this recipe and have some thoughts or suggestions, I’d also like to hear from you.

Thanks for reading the latest edition of Ruthtalksfood. If you liked it, please leave a comment and share with a friend. If you haven’t yet subscribed, please do.