WGM takes a look at one of Macau’s most popular treats – the humble almond cookie!
It was almost a century ago, in the 1920s, that a number of traditional bakeries were established in Macau specifically to create a local delicacy – the traditional Chinese almond cookie.
In the beginning, the shops sold only simple cakes and cookies, but eventually they came up with the idea of cooking almonds into their regular cookies. The biscuits were an instant hit and over time have become a favorite of locals and a popular gift for tourists to take home for loved ones.
The many types of almond cookies include almond macarons, Spanish Almendrados, shortbread biscuits made with almonds called “Qurabiya” and the Turkish spin called Acıbadem Kurabiyesi.
However, the most popular among tourists remains the simple yet scrumptious Chinese almond cookie. The almond cookie is a type of Chinese pastry made with ground apricot kernels and is one of the most common pastries in the region.
Served in a round, weaved rattan tray, these small rounded pastries contain no filling and are meant to be extremely crunchy.
Given they’ve lasted almost 100 years, it seems the early creators stumbled onto something special and it is common to see tourists carrying their bags of almond cookies from Macau to different parts of the world, taking a piece of the city with them as they travel.
