Sugee Cookies

I haven't made this in years. Maybe more than a decade come to think of it. It was one of my childhood favourites (during Hari Raya, my Malay Mak used to make them, oh how I love the way they melted in the mouth!). And as a teenager doing Home Economics, I would also make them when I was in one of my frenzied "practising" moods.

I had a big can of Ghee (clarified butter). Bought it on a whim on a visit to an Indian grocery store here in Stuttgart.

In December 2006, I found myself in this situation whereby the classes of my 3 kids were all organising a class party where parents were invited and where we had to bring along some cookies, cakes and/or drinks. To kill the different birds with one stone, I had the bright idea of baking a huge batch of Sugee Cookies (and using my Ghee which was about to expire) and turning up in all 3 parties with the rich stuff.

Sugee cookies are not for the faint-hearted. They are so rich I'm sure they go direct to the heart so woe to those with clogged arteries. And you know that those I baked were good because my French MIL (very tough cookie critic) liquidated those remaining at home (a good 2 boxes) when she was here. She called them "sablés" and couldn't stop popping them into her mouth. That plus all the expensive chocolates that I had bought for the fêtes...

450g Ghee
340g Icing Sugar
750g plain Flour

Chopped almonds, chocolate rice, ground cinnamon etc (optional)

Very very simple to make (which was why I made them). Shame to those who made chemical-filled cookies out of ready-mixes when they had to make any.

Cream ghee and sugar for 5 minutes. Add flour and knead into a soft dough. Leave covered for 4 hours.

Pre-heat oven at 120ºC.

Traditionally, the dough will be rolled into rolls where you'll be able to cut them into small pieces to make marble-sized cookies. I wanted to test out some of my newly-acquisitioned cookie cutters (heart-shaped ones), so I made big and small heart-shaped sugee cookies. I also added ground cinnamon, chopped almonds and chocolate rice in some of them for a change.

In any case, bake them for about 20-25 minutes. They should remain creamy in colour : melt-in-the mouth creamy.