Right around this time of year, every year, I take to the kitchen. I play the corniest Christmas music I can find and bake enormous batches of shortbreads, coconut macaroons, chocolate chip cranberry cookies, sugar cookies and caramel pecan squares. (And, in a nod to nostalgia, these.) Then I package them all up in festive tins and give them away to my nearest and dearest.
To me, it isn't Christmas until I have baked. The homey smell wafting from the oven, the magical transformation of butter and flour and sugar into solid love, the ritual of counting my blessings as I count the cookies – I eat it all up.
This year, I'm adding a new recipe to the repertoire. Essentially a fancy shortbread, cardamom cloud cookies are an absolute dream. They are easy to whip up, endlessly fragrant and utterly beautiful to look at. And the name! Can you imagine a more poetic name for a cookie?
I like to think that these are cookies to keep rather than give away. Unlike the more obvious, ooey gooey treats of the season – I am looking at you, Hello Dolly bar – these mildly sweet, subtle little bites are best suited for solo contemplation. Feel free to enjoy with an enormous mug of milky tea, with the Love, Actually soundtrack playing cheerfully in the background. And a contented smile on your face.
Clouds of cardamom and cashew cookies
Adapted from Padma Lakshmi's Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1/4 cup icing sugar, plus loads more for dusty
2 cups flour
1/2 cup raw crushed cashews
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1. In a bowl, combine the butter and icing sugar to form a stiff mixture. Add the flour, nuts, vanilla, cardamom powder and salt. Mix well to form a dough. Let stand 30 minutes, covered, at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Make small balls of the dough and place them on baking sheet. Smash with palm of your hand. Make sure cookies don't touch.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bottoms are light brown. Remove from oven and dust generously with icing sugar. Cool on racks.
