Sebastopel, a German cookie

If you like a cookie recipe which is not your typical cookie but crispy, chewy and nutty at the same time, Sebastopel will tingle your tastebuds. This week, we also learnt to make two other cookies, Biscotti and Oatmeal cookie which is kinda boring so I won't post them here. The making of sebastopel involves two parts: base and topping. 

Base:
Sugar dough/sugar pastry (set oven temperature to 160 degrees Celcius)

Multi-purpose flour/cake flour**....................................250g
Caster sugar .................................................................125g
Butter (chilled)...............................................................125g
Egg.................................................................................55g (1 medium sized egg)
Lemon zest....................................................................half of lemon

**Note: Multi-purpose flour has protein content slightly higher than cake flour and suitable for half bread, half cake recipes...such as, muffin and cake. Not suitable for bread tho.

1. In a large bowl, add in multi-purpose flour gradually into chilled butter. Rub the two ingredients together with hands to achieve a consistent texture.
2. Add in sugar and continue to rub the ingredients together until even.
3. Add egg and lemon zest. Careful with the egg because by now the mixture should be in a dough form. A perfect dough should be looked and felt like a "playdough". If too dry after adding all the egg, milk/water can soften the dough. If too soft/wet, freeze the dough will achieve a desired consistency.   
4. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough using a rolling pin. 
5. On a baking parchment, roll the dough to 4mm thick and prick a few holes with fork before putting it on a baking tray.

Topping:

Set oven temperature to 200 degrees Celcius

Hazelnuts (crushed coarse)**..................................100g

Caster sugar..............................................................75g

Egg white...................................................................75g

Orange peel (crystalised orange)**........................ 60g (soak in orange juice if too dry)

Cake flour...................................................................10g

Raspberry jam**

**Note: all these ingredients can be substituted. E.g. hazelnuts to almonds, cashews etc..., orange peel to pineapple, lemon etc..., raspberry to strawberry, mixed berries etc...

1. Mix sugar and egg white in a mixing bowl and set over bain-marie and whisk slowly until the sugar dissolves. Control the heat and not to cook the egg white.
2. Add all dry ingredients to above and stir well (make sure the orange juice is drained).
3. By now, the sugar dough in the oven should be 80% cooked.
4. Take out the base and spread a thin layer of jam.
5. Spread the sugar mixture over the layer of jam. Make you leave a 5mm border so the sugar mixture does not overflow.
6. Bake it in the oven until the topping turns golden brown.
7. Cut into desirable sizes and enjoy!