Roll into 1″ balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg whites. Roll in finely chopped nuts (¾ cup). Place about 1″ apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 5 min. Remove from oven. Quickly press thumb gently on top of each cooky. Return to oven and bake 8 min. longer. Cool. Place in thumbprints a bit of chopped candied fruit, sparkling jelly, or tinted confectioners’ sugar icing. TEMPERATURE: 375° (quick mod. oven). TIME: Bake 5 min., then 8 min. AMOUNT: About 2 doz. 1½″ cookies. ★ ENGLISH TEA CAKES _Tender, flavorful tidbits with a sugary glaze._ Mix together thoroughly ... ½ cup soft shortening (half butter) ¾ cup sugar 1 egg 3 tbsp. milk Sift together and stir in ... 1¾ cups _sifted_ GOLD MEDAL Flour 1½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt Mix in ... ½ cup finely cut sliced citron ½ cup currants or raisins, cut-up Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Dip tops in slightly beaten egg white, then sugar. Place sugared-side-up 2″ apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until delicately browned. The balls flatten some in baking and become glazed. TEMPERATURE: 400° (mod. hot oven). TIME: Bake 12 to 15 min. AMOUNT: About 3 doz. 1½″ cookies. ALMOND CRESCENTS _Richly delicate, buttery. Party favorites._ Mix together thoroughly ... 1 cup soft shortening (half butter) ⅓ cup sugar ⅔ cup ground blanched almonds Sift together and work in ... 1⅔ cups _sifted_ GOLD MEDAL Flour ¼ tsp. salt Chill dough. Roll with hands pencil-thick. Cut in 2½″ lengths. Form into crescents on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until set ... not brown. Cool on pan. While slightly warm, carefully dip in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon mixed. TEMPERATURE: 325° (slow mod. oven). TIME: Bake 14 to 16 min. AMOUNT: About 5 doz. 2½″ cookies. LEMON SNOWDROPS _Refreshing, lemony ... with snowy icing._ Follow recipe for English Tea Cakes above—_except_ use 2 tbsp. lemon juice and 1 tbsp. water in place of the milk. Add 2 tsp. grated lemon rind. Omit citron and currants. Mix in ½ cup chopped nuts. Chill dough. Roll into balls and bake. Then roll in confectioners’ sugar. BUTTER FINGERS _Nut-flavored, rich buttery party cookies._ Follow recipe for Almond Crescents—_except_ in place of almonds use black walnuts or other nuts, _chopped_. Cut into finger lengths and bake. While still warm, roll in confectioners’ sugar. Cool, and roll in the sugar again. [Sidenote: Festive cookies for the holidays ... ideal for Christmas boxes.] RUSSIAN TEA CAKES _Crunchy, sugared, nut-filled snowballs._ _This favorite with men came to us from a man. Carl Burkland, a radio executive of New York City, made them himself for me one Christmas season._ Mix together thoroughly ... 1 cup soft butter ½ cup _sifted_ confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp. vanilla Sift together and stir in ... 2¼ cups _sifted_ GOLD MEDAL Flour ¼ tsp. salt Mix in ... ¾ cup finely chopped nuts