Almond-Walnut Thumbprint Macaroons

These cookies are less sweet and chewier than many traditional nut macaroons. The recipe is from Eileen Dangoor Khalastchy, an 86-year-old cook and baker who remembers her mother making something similar when the family lived in Iraq. Ms. Khalastchy moved from Baghdad to London in the 1970s, but she remembers her mother making cookies like these and then sending them to be baked in the public oven because there was no oven at home then. Ms. Khalastchy has tinkered with the recipe, substituting walnuts for some of the almonds and adding an egg yolk to the traditional whites.

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups/250 grams blanched almonds
• 1 ½ cups/125 grams walnuts
• 1 scant cup/200 grams sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 large egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup of rose water, optional
• ½ cup good quality raspberry jam, or 1/2 cup shelled pistachios

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (36 servings)

    99 calories; 5 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 5 milligrams cholesterol; 5 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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About 3 dozen cookies

Preparation

1. Put the almonds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until mostly powdered with a few crunchy bits remaining, about 15 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl. Put the walnuts in the food processor and pulse until mostly powdered. Add the walnuts to the almonds.
2. Add the sugar, cardamom, egg and egg whites to the bowl and, using one hand, mix to combine. Cover with a towel and let the mixture sit for at least 8 hours or overnight to dry out a bit.
3. Heat the oven to 325 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour rose water or 1 cup of water in a small shallow bowl. Dampen your hands with the rose water and scoop up about a tablespoon of the dough at a time, pressing it into walnut-size balls. Place the macaroons on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart and flatten them slightly. Use your thumb to make a small indentation in the middle of each.
4. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and cook for 15 minutes, then remove and put either 1/4 teaspoon of the raspberry jam or a pistachio in each thumbprint. Rotate the pans and continue baking for 10 more minutes or until golden and firm. Cool to room temperature on the baking sheets and serve or freeze.