(Almond) Cookies and (Almond) Milk

I love cookies and milk. I have also developed lactose intolerance (and believe cow's milk, in general may be unhealthy for you), so satiating this sweet-tooth of mine can be rather difficult (and unpleasant). A few weeks ago I discovered this wonderful recipe for almond milk, which was a relief since I am still unable to figure out the attraction to manufactured versions of this beverage (and soy milk, for that matter).

I remember the frugality of my grandmother (she was a child of the depression) who always seemed to always find a use for every last drop of whatever she was cooking. Whether it was taking the bits of pie crust that remain after cutting back the crust from the pan, sprinkling cinnamon and sugar on them and baking them for an extra treat, or boiling her own chicken to make broth at the same time she was making chicken & dumplings.

We have a modern (and trendy) name for these ancient ideals, 'slow-food'. In our kitchen we strive to stay as true to slow-food ideals as possible by not using manufactured goods. At the same time we try to be as mindful and resourceful as possible by finding uses for things we are all accustomed to throwing away.

The beautiful thing about the almond milk recipe is that you're left with ground almonds, which can be used to make Viennese almond cookies (Kupferlin). The Kupferlin recipe is basic, but extremely tasty, especially when imbibed with freshly made almond milk...enjoy!


Almond Milk (prep time 10 minutes, waiting time overnight)
About 1 1/2 litres
Start this recipe before you go to bed.

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 8 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. honey (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. cardemom (optional)
• Few drops of orange blossom or rose water (optional)

1. Grind the almonds to a very fine powder; the powder will begin to clump...stop grinding at this point.
2. Add the almonds to a large pot and add 4 cups of water. Stir the almond/water mixture until all clumps have been dissolved.
3. Allow almond/water mixture to sit and macerate overnight.
4. The next morning, add the remaining 4 cups of water, honey and other ingredients, if desired.
5. Pour the milk through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth (cheesecloth works best). As you're pouring, be sure to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the almond meal.
6. Set the almond meal aside in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use for the Kupferlin.
7. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Viennese Almond Cookies - Kupferlin (total time, 40 minues)
Makes 20-25 cookies.

• 1 cup chilled butter, cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup ground almonds
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar.
2. Add the almonds. Combine the flour and salt and stir into the butter mixture.
3. Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll it between your palms to make an flat-oval shape (like a French madeliene cookie). Repeat, placing the cookies 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are barely golden, 10-12 minutes.
4. Immediately transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Cookies can be frozen in an airtight container, with wax paper between each layer, for up to 6 months. Defrost 30 minutes before serving. Immediately before serving, dust with powdered sugar.