Time To Make the Sandbakkels. Again.

I wrote about Sandbakkels before.   

Time to Make the Sandbakkels

I'm going to write about them again because I've been baking them.

Sandbakkels are the Norwegian treat I decided to learn to master.  

They seem simple enough.  Butter and sugar.  What could be so hard about that?

Well they are not for beginner bakers.

I am a good cook.  Baking is different.  Baking is more of a challenge for me.  The way I like to cook is to change up the recipe.  Or even forgo the recipe entirely.  

That kind of cavalier attitude toward the recipe will get you in trouble with baking.  

You have to stick with the recipe when you bake.

 It has something to do with science. 

But what I like about sandbakkels is that there is some intuition involved.  

You can measure out the right amount of butter and flour but when you get them in your hands, after years of making them, you can feel that it is too greasy and will need more flour.  

You can set the timer, but you had better spend the last few minutes just looking right into the oven to make sure they are the right color. 

If they are too light, they will not pop out of the tins.  Wait too long and they will burn and they will pop right out of the tin into the trash.

I have my mother in laws tins.  One of the tricks to keeping the cookies from sticking to the tins is to never wash them with soap. Just rinse off the crumbs stuck.  It's kind of like your cast iron skillet. The years of seasoning beats any teflon.

So here is the recipe:

• 1 Cup Butter, softened - this you will want to use all butter, real butter - no substitutions.
• 1  Cup Sugar
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 tsp (or capful) Amaretto or almond extract
• 2 Cups Flour

Oven 350

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, beat. Add Amaretto. Add flour.

Take about a teaspoon of dough and roll into a ball, then press into the tin. Thinner is better.

Lay the tins out on a baking sheet.  

Set your timer for about 10 minutes.  When it goes off, stand in front of your oven door and watch.  When they are just tan around the edges, take them out.  

If you did it right, they will pop out fairly easy.  Some will break.  They will taste fine.  

If they are not done enough or don't have enough flour they will not come out of the tin.  If you washed your tins too well they will not come out. 

Don't get discouraged.  Try it again.  Your tins will be greasy and they will probably come out this time.