SUGEE BUTTER COOKIES

Makes about 100 cookies

Like sugee almond butter cake (page 148), sugee butter cookies were created by the Eurasians but found its way into the Peranakan food repertoire and is now considered as much a Peranakan cookie as it is a Eurasian cookie. These rich, buttery cookies have a light and crumbly texture and will simply melt in your mouth. Use the best quality butter you can find when making these cookies. Sugee butter cookies are typically prepared for the Chinese New Year.

Plain (all-purpose) flour 200 g (7 oz)
Baking powder ½ tspv
Butter 200 g (7 oz), at room temperature
Icing (confectioner’s) sugar 125 g (4½ oz)
Semolina (sugee) flour 50 g (1⅔ oz)

1.   Sift flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

2.   Beat butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture and semolina and
mix well. Leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3.   Preheat oven to 170°C (330°F). Line several baking trays.

4.   Using your hands, roll chilled dough into even-size balls. Alternatively, roll dough out
on a floured work surface and cut out cookies using a cookie cutter. Place on prepared
baking trays. You should get about 100 pieces of cookies.

5.   Bake for 15–20 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown. Remove from oven
and leave cookies on baking tray for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack
to cool completely.

6.   Store in an airtight container. Sugee cookies can keep for up to 3 months at room
temperature and up to 6 months if refrigerated.

NOTE

•   For the best results, use good quality butter when making these cookies.

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PERANAKAN HERITAGE

Cooking