Chinese Almond Cookies

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon almond extract 
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
• 0.3 cup blanched almonds and whole
• 0.5 lb butter at room temperature
• 1 large eggs 
• 1 large egg yolk 
• 2.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed 
• 1 cup sugar 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• hand mixer
• spatula

Directions

1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth.
2. Add whole egg and almond extract and beat until well blended. Stir or beat in flour and baking powder until well blended. Cover bowl and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, flatten each slightly, and place each about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
4. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with milk to blend.
5. Brush cookies lightly with egg mixture; discard any remaining. Press an almond into the center of each cookie and sprinkle each with about 1/8 teaspoon sesame seeds.
6. Bake cookies in a 325 oven until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking.
7. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.