Active Time

　　45 minutes

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hours

　　Found throughout the Middle East, this shortbread-style cookie remains white after baking. Some people make diamond-shaped or round cookies with this dough, but the ring shapes are more common.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 34 cookies

　　2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 cup confectioners sugar

　　1 stick unsalted butter, softened

　　1/2 cup vegetable shortening

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

　　1/2 teaspoon rose water, or to taste

　　1/2 teaspoon orange-flower water, or to taste

　　34 whole blanched almonds or shelled natural pistachios (1/4 cup)

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 300°F.

　　

Step 2

Beat together flour, sugar, butter, shortening, cardamom, rose water, and orange-flower water in a bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until a smooth dough forms.

　　

Step 3

Roll dough into walnut-size balls, then roll each ball into a 5-inch rope. Form each rope into a 2-inch circle, overlapping ends slightly. Press a nut into each cookie at overlap.

　　

Step 4

Arrange cookies, 1 inch apart, on 2 ungreased baking sheets and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until dry to the touch but still white, 20 to 22 minutes total. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.