Kourabiedes (Greek Almond Shortbread Cookies)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the whole almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden, shaking the pan once or twice. Let them cool completely, then coarsely chop or pulse briefly in a food processor, leaving some texture rather than reducing them to powder.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter alone on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until noticeably paler and softer.
4. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed for a full 8-10 minutes, until the mixture turns nearly white and looks light and fluffy, like whipped cream. This long creaming time is what gives kourabiedes their signature powdery, melt-in-the-mouth crumb, so resist the urge to cut it short.
5. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and ouzo until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
6. Reduce the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until a soft dough comes together. Fold in the cooled toasted almonds by hand. Stop as soon as the flour disappears; overworking the dough will make the cookies tough instead of sandy.
7. If the dough feels soft or greasy, cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before shaping; it should be cool but still pliable.
8. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pinch off pieces of dough (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll into balls, then either shape into crescents by rolling into a short log and curving the ends, or leave round and press a shallow dimple in the center with your fingertip. Press a whole clove into the center of each cookie, if using. Space the cookies about 1 inch apart, as they hold their shape well but still need room for air circulation.
9. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops remain pale. Kourabiedes should never take on much color; overbaking dries them out and dulls the almond flavor.
10. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes; they are very fragile and crumbly while hot. While still warm, spray or lightly brush each cookie generously with rose water or orange blossom water.
11. Sift a thick layer of powdered sugar over a large tray or shallow dish, arrange the warm, perfumed cookies on top, then sift a generous, even layer of powdered sugar completely over them, covering every cookie in white. Let cool completely on the tray; the sugar will set into a delicate crust as the cookies finish cooling.
12. Once fully cooled, gently shake off any excess sugar, arrange on a serving plate, and dust with a final layer of powdered sugar before serving. Warn guests to watch for the clove before biting in.