Licorice Spelt Cookies

Don't you love licorice candies! What is licorice, anyway? Licorice is also known as 'kum chou' and it's believe to have antiviral and anti-bacterial properties, and it's often used to treat cold & influenza. It can also be used with other Chinese herbs to increase the body's vitality and general well-being. It's very common to use licorice root slices to boil with chrysanthemum flowers for cooling drinks. While I prefer chewing on those dried root slices which tasted a little bitter sweet.

What about spelt flour! Spelt is similar to wheat species. It tasted more or less like wheat flour but the price is way so pricey compare to any other flour due to the nutrition content. Spelt contains of more protein than wheat and it's more easier to digest.

I got lucky and found a packet of spelt flour on my last vacation. Now.... how about joining them into one!
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Ingredients :

225gm corn flour

150gm spelt flour

1 tbsp licorice powder

1/2 tspn baking powder

110gm icing sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

155gm butter, at room temperature

* egg glaze : 1 egg yolk + 1 tspn milk

* extra licorice powder for topping

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Method :

(1) combine corn flour, spelt flour, licorice powder, baking powder & icing sugar in a big mixing bowl and mix well.

(2) stir in egg & vanilla and mix to combine into crumble form.

(3) then add in butter and mix well to form a soft dough.

(4) roll dough onto a piece of plastic sheet in about 1cm thickness.

(5) cut with desired cutter and place it to the baking tray.

(6) brush with egg glaze and dust on some licorice powder.

(7) bake at preheated oven at 160'C for about 10-12 mins.
(8) leave to cool for 5 mins before removing to wire rack.

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Licorice powder is very mild in flavour compare to licorice extract. So, I used extra for dusting the top. You can always replace the recipe with licorice extract and add in an extra tablespoon of flour.

The cookies tasted more to wheat flavour than licorice . Yet it's a good trial. I'm still working on some licorice recipes . So, stay tune for more!

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I'm sending this to Jess Kitchen @ Aspiring Baker #3 CNY Cookies & Chaya @ Meatless Monday.