This cookie is not only delicious, but delicately beautiful. Almost any liqueur or extract can be substituted. We used Pearle, a sweet pear liqueur which added a nice fruitiness to the cookies.

makes about 2 dozen, 2 inch sized cookies

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon liqueur (Pearle, Grand Marnier)
3/4 cups whole unblanched almonds, ground medium fine in a clean coffee grinder
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375°.

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment (Sil-pat works beautifully).

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine butter, cream and liqueur. Once the butter has melted, stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook for several minutes or until the mixture begins to gently bubble.

3. Place about 1/2 rounded teaspoon of the mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie, they will spread quite a bit. If you are planning to roll the cookies into a tube or cone shape, then only bake 4 or 5 at a time.

4. Bake until the edges are lightly brown and crisp (about 5 or 6 minutes). But keep an eye on them. They can burn quickly.

5. Remove the cookies from the oven and place the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool. After about 2 minutes test the consistency. When they are flexible but not crisp you must work quickly to form them around the end of a wooden spoon to create a roll. Once these cookies begin to cool they will break instead of bending - so no more than 4 or 5 cookies can be shaped at a time.

6. If you like, dip the ends of the cookies in melted chocolate and let dry on a wire rack.