Basel Brownies (Swiss Chocolate Spice Cookies)
Author: Nancy Baggett
Tip: Some brands of cocoa powder are much drier and more absorbent than others, so the dough may occasionally come out crumbly and dry. In this case, add a little more egg white and process until the mixture comes together smoothly.
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups whole blanched almonds or almond slivers (about 7 ounces)
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar, divided, plus more as needed
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
  • 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom or ground cloves
  • Generous ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup (about 3½ ounces) chopped semisweet or bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate
  • 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon almond (or vanilla) extract
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, chop the almonds, 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cardamom (or cloves) and salt until the almonds are powder fine; stop and stir to redistribute the mixture several times. Add the chocolate and remaining ½ cup powdered sugar and process until the chocolate is finely ground. Add the egg whites and almond extract. Process, stopping and stirring once or twice, until the mixture blends and comes together in a mass.
  2. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes until the dough firms up a bit. Place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Line several large baking sheets with baking parchment. Turn out the dough onto a work surface heavily dusted with powdered sugar. Dust the dough with more powdered sugar. If the dough is too soft or sticky to roll out, gradually knead in additional powdered sugar, then roll it out ¼ inch thick. Run a spatula underneath the dough and dust the surface with more sugar if needed to prevent the dough from sticking.Cut out the cookies using 2½-inch heart or trefoil-shaped cutters to produce cookies like those shown; or use plain or scalloped rounds or whatever shapes you like. Space the cookies about 1½ inches apart on the baking sheets.Bake (middle rack) one pan at a time 10 to 13 minutes, or until puffy and almost firm when pressed in the center top.
  3. Transfer the pan to a wire rack.Let cool completely; the cookies are too tender to handle while warm.Store the cookies airtight for up to 1 week, or freeze airtight for up to 1½ months.Yield: Makes about 35 2½-inch cookies.
Recipe by KitchenLane at http://kitchenlane.com/2010/12/basel-brownies-swiss-chocolate-cookies.html