1 cup butter
1/4 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped

1. Cream butter and almond extract. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat again.

2. Add flour gradually, stirring after each addition. Stir in almonds until well blended.

3. Cover and chill dough well in fridge.

4. Working with part of the dough at a time while leaving the rest to stay cold in the fridge (or working quickly), press dough into sandbakelse or sandbakkel tins or molds. Press firmly and cover the bottom and sides of each mold evenly.

5. Set on cookie sheets and bake at 375*F for 6 – 8 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and immediately invert molds (ie. turn upside down) onto counter or table and allow to cool for just a bit.

7. Tap back of molds with spoon to remove cookies. Finish cooling, then sprinkle with powdered sugar or Vanilla Powdered Sugar (poke pieces of vanilla bean into a bag of icing sugar, cover tightly and store – the longer, the richer the flavor).