Shakrlama #CooktheBooks #FilltheCookieJar

I am joining up with a new (to me) group this month called Fill the Cookie Jar.  This group is led by Cynthia of Feeding Big who has chosen themes for each month and then invites others to post a cookie recipe that fits the theme on the third Thursday of each month.  You can learn more about it here.

This month's theme is Thanksgiving/Fall.  The possibilities for this theme are endless.  My first thought was to make a spicy cookie like these Pumpkin Spice Cookie Blossoms or Snickerdoodles. But then, I was reading the book selected for Cook the Books and found this recipe for Shakrlama and knew that it was what I wanted to share to introduce myself to this group.

Cook the Books is a fun little group that assigns books bimonthly, chosen by a new host each month. We are invited to read the book and make a recipe that was inspired by said book.  This month our host is Simona of Briciole, who also happens to be one of our fearless leaders in this group.  Simona chose the novel, Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots by Jessica Soffer.   There is still a lot of time to join us if you would like as the deadline for posting on this novel is not until November 30th.  You can read Simona's invitation post  or stop by Cook the Books for more information.

This is a novel about a young girl who is being raised (or raising, as the case may be) by a very needy, self centered and unnurturing mother.  The girl, Lorca, searches for ways to get her mother's approval without success.  Lorca so badly needs to feel something.....anything.....that she, at a very young age, learned to find comfort in pain and is now a young teenage girl who self mutilates every chance she gets.

Lorca, overhearing a conversation between her mother and aunt, goes off in search of a recipe for Masgouf, which her mother described as the best meal she had ever eaten.  Lorca finds the owner of the restaurant where her mother had eaten the Masgouf.  This woman, Victoria, has just lost her husband after a long illness.  She decides to give cooking lessons and her sole student is Lorca. Victoria is suffering guilt from the decision she made, years earlier, to adopt out a child that she had. She now believes that Lorca is the child of the one she gave away years earlier....

I will not give you any spoilers.  I did not love this book but I did not hate it either.  This book made me angry and made me sad.  It made me want to enfold Lorca in a maternal hug and ensure that she knows that she is worthwhile and loveable.

Lorca contacts Victoria after the first cooking lesson and asks to come back, stating her mother is not feeling well and she would like to make her something to help her feel better.  Victoria decides to make a recipe that was a favorite of her husbands, Shakrlama.

I googled Shakrlama and learned that it was an Arabic butter cookie with almonds, pistachios or both. I also found that the author of the book, Jessica Soffer, had printed her recipe for these cookies in the Book Club Cookbook.

I made the recipe just as written by Jessica, using slivered almonds instead of sliced.  They were lovely and a perfect recipe to Fill the Cookie Jar.

You will find the other Fill the Cookie Jar entries following the recipe for these tender, delightful little morsels.  Stay tuned at the end of November when Simona does a round up of all the recipes inspired by Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots.  I am also linking up with Foodies Read 2016.

Shakrlama (Almond Butter Cookies)

courtesy of Jessica Soffer

1 stick butter, room temperature

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. + 1 t. flour

1/4 t. ground cardamom

1 t. rosewater 

1/4 t. vanilla

pinch salt

48 slivered almonds

Place the butter, sugar, flour, cardamom, rosewater, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Turn to low speed and beat until combined, increase speed and beat until well mixed and a ball is formed.

Divide the ball into 12 equal pieces.  Roll pieces into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Using a glass, dipped in powdered sugar, flatten each ball into a 2" round.  Place 4 slivered almonds on each cookie.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking in a preheated 350*oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  

Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Print Recipe