Losanges Noix et Chocolat (Chocolate Walnut Diamonds)

 I'm so sorry for not updating regularly enough.  I have been cooking - for instance I made these exactly a week ago today!  I could have updated but I've been busy, so I apologize.  

There's just been so much work and stress and anxiety from many different areas - it's no longer just Economics that's the source of all evil.  In fact, this semester, Economics hasn't been too bad.  I had a very cute and clever professor who just made everything better.  That's the key to learning for me maybe.  It did motivate me to work very very hard, yet I still did badly on the test, so I don't know... I didn't want him to think that I was an idiot but... meeeeh.

Again, from Christoph Felder, this guy's just fantastic.  This book, everything I've made has been good (except for my tried and failed attempt of his croissants).


Some people have said that these cookies are the best walnut cookies they've ever had.  Just saying.  

Recipe from Patisserie
makes about 8 dozen cookies
Ingredients 
Cookies
1 cup/125g chopped walnuts
3 cups/375g plain four
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup / 125g sugar
250g butter, diced
1 tsp cinnamon
2 pinches salt
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 lemon

Egg glaze
1 egg yolk

Coating
200g dark chocolate
50g walnut halves

Method
Grind the walnuts in a food processor to a fine powder.

Combine the ground walnuts, flour, baking powder, sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt on a work surface.

Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture forms fine crumbs.  Make a well in the ceter and add the whole egg and egg yolk.

Finely grate he lemon zest into the well.

Knead until the dough is smooth, shape into a ball, flatten into a disk and cover with plastic wrap.  Chill in the fridge for 1 hour. 


Preheat oven to 180C/350F, and prepare the egg glaze by lightly beating the egg yolk in a cup with a fork.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a sheet 4mm thick.  Cut into 3cm diamond shapes.  Place the cookies on a lined baking sheet, spacing them 1cm apart.  Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg glaze  and put in the oven.

Bake for 10-15 min or until lightly browned.  Leave them to cool completely.

Finely chop the bitter chocolate and place in a medium bowl set over a saucepan filled with just enough simmering water that it doesn't touch the bowl.  Let the chocolate melt, remove bowl from heat and stir until smooth.

Dip one half of each cookie in the chocolate, transfer to parchment paper and place a walnut half on each cookie.  Let the chocolate set completely and serve.