Feranija,

best bet is to make something without fat, although be aware that sugar
contributes greatly to increased cholesterol too, just as much as fat.
You could subsititute something like Splenda or Equal for consistency
and flavour - would be good to know how that turns out.

The types of biscuits you could make are yummy amaretti or any italian
style almond based biscuit such as bocconcini or biscotti (the original
tuscan cantucci). The fat in almonds is primarily good fats that help
reduce cholesterol. Ditto if you used walnuts instead. A little good
dark chocolate won't do much harm either.
Cheers
Viviane

Here are a few that could get you started:

BRUTTI MA BUONI

125g/4.5oz hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and finely chopped
125g/4.5oz icing sugar, sifted
4 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick
baking paper. Put the hazelnuts and icing sugar in a heavy saucepan.
Beat the egg whites until stiff in a bowl, then add to the pan.
Place the pan over moderate heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring
all the time, until the mixture comes away from the sides of the
pan and is a light golden brown.

Remove the pan from the heat. Scoop out the mixture with 2 teaspoons
into rough mounds and place them spaced apart on the baking paper
to allow for slight spreading during cooking. Bake for 10 minutes.
Transfer the biscuits on the paper to wire racks and leave to cool
(they will harden on cooling). Makes about 20.

These biscuits literally mean "ugly but good" which describes them
perfectly!! They are a speciality of the Veneto region in Italy.
They are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. You can
substitute almonds for the hazelnuts.


FAVE DEI MORTI

1.25 cups whole unblanched almonds
2/3 cup pine nuts
1.25 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites
1/4 cup unsifted unbleached or all-purpose flour

Grind nuts, a few at a time, until they have a flour-like consistency.
In a bowl, mix the nuts with the sugar, baking powder and flour.
Stir in the egg whites with a heavy spoon, mixing until dough sticks
together.

Shape in teaspoon sized balls and flatten slightly on a greased
baking sheet; do not allow cookies to touch. With a teaspoon
handle, press in one edge of the cooky round to make a bean-like
indentation. Bake in a 190C/375F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or
until pale brown. Cool on wire racks; store airtight.

Makes about 5.5 dozen.

Fave dei morti literally means "beans of the dead" and are
traditionally eaten in Italy on All Souls Day, November 2.


PINOCCATE

500g sugar
300g ground almonds
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla essence
200g pine nuts

In a food processor place the sugar, ground almonds, vanilla and
egg whites. Whirl for a minute or so, to form a smooth paste.
Mix the whole pine nuts into this mixture and with the help of a
spoon form little mounds the size of a walnut on an oiled baking
sheet. Dry in the oven at 160C/325F for 10-12 minutes.
Serves 4 - 6


PINOLATI

200g/7oz ground almonds
300g/110z caster sugar
3 egg whites
200g/7oz pine nuts (pignoli)

Mix together the almonds, sugar and 2 of the egg whites, working
the ingredients together to a pliable (not crumbly) almond paste
dough. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/gas mark 8.

Put the remaining egg white in a bowl and break up with a fork.
Spread the pine nuts out on a plate. Take small pieces of the almond
paste in your fingers and roll into about 30 walnut-sized balls.
Dip each ball in egg white, then roll in the pine nuts until evenly
coated. Put the balls in paper petit four cases and place on baking
sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and leave to
cool.

Makes about 30


Amaretti Lutzoni


*Gourmet
<http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=sc7bnv2pFwE&offerid=60874.570&type=2&subi d=0>**
July 1992*
4 1/2 cups blanched whole almonds (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
4 large egg whites
About 80 blanched almond halves or eighty 1/4-inch pieces
of candied orange rind for garnish if desired
In a food processor grind the whole almonds with 3 cups of the sugar and
the zest until the mixture is powdery and transfer the mixture to a
large bowl. In another bowl beat the whites with a pinch of salt until
they hold soft peaks and fold them into the almond mixture gently but
thoroughly. (The mixture will have the texture of wet sand.) Form
heaping teaspoons of the mixture into balls, roll the balls in the
remaining sugar, shaking off the excess, and arrange them about 2 inches
apart on buttered and floured baking sheets. Flatten the balls to a
1/2-inch thickness and gently press 1 of the almond halves or pieces of
orange rind into each one. Bake the amaretti in a preheated 300-degree
F. oven, switching the baking sheets after 15 minutes, for 30 minutes,
transfer them to racks, and let them cool. The amaretti keep for 3 weeks
in airtight containers. Makes about 80 amaretti.

Lingue Del Diavolo
(Devil's Tongues)

Ingredients:

350g almonds
600g sugar
35g cocoa (unsweetened)
100g plain flour
250ml egg white
1 tsp pure vanilla extract


Method:

Grease and/or line baking trays with baking paper.
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
Mix together the sugar, cocoa, almonds and vanilla; moisten with a
little of the egg white and chop finely.
Add the flour and the remaining egg white to the mixture and mix to an
even "paste".
Using a pastry bag, pipe the mixture into lengths, about 7.5cm (3
inches) onto the baking trays, leaving room between them.
Bake until golden but not too dark. 10min? Watch the oven as these are
delicate.
Leave to cool on wire racks.

To finish, dip 1/3 - 1/2 of the biscotto into dark or white chocolate
and leave to harden.

Great with coffee or to serve with icecream.



*Pasticcini di Mandorle e Caffè*
(Coffee-Flavored Almond Cookie Squares)


Ingredients:
500 grams (1 pound 2 ounces) Almonds
500 grams (1 pound 2 ounces; this is slightly more than 2 cups) Sugar
5 egg whites beaten until stiff
5 teaspoons of ground espresso coffee
Powdered sugar (the kind that doesn't include starch)

Directions:

Peel and crush the almonds. Mix sugar with 3 tablespoons of water,
crushed almonds, ground coffee, and egg whites.

Grease a rectangular pan and cover with fine bread crumbs. Pour mixture
into pan and bake at 300 degrees for about 40 minutes. Remove from oven
and let cool.

Cut in small square pieces, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Yields 3/4 kg (1.65 lbs.) of cookies.

That's it!


I cannot remember exactly where I got this recipe from....some cookbook
in Italy but I don't know which. They are very simple to make and
delicious. They require no baking...just drying time...how long depends
on the weather I guess.

Ingredients:

125g dark chocolate
200g sugar
250g finely ground almonds
1/2 cup** espresso coffee
1/2 small glass liqueur


Method:
Grate the chocolate finely.
Mix together well the chocolate, ground almonds, sugar, coffee and
liqueur.
Mix it well so that the dough is homogeneous and smooth.
Roll out the dough on a marble (preferably)surface which has been
lightly
dusted with icing/confectioner's sugar.
Cut into squares. Allow to dry out completely.

They are now ready to eat! No baking!

** NB: By cup, I mean an espresso coffee cup, not a standard measuring cup!
So think small!! BTW, a small glass means a liqueur glass too.




Feranija wrote:

> Please, someone tell a recipe for some cookies that are same, or
> similar in consistency as clasic tea cookies.
>
> I know palm or coconut oil can be used as a substitute for a
> butter/margarine, but cholesterol runs high with a family member, and
> she is alredy put on medications; we would like to make cookies that
> have no saturated fats of margarine in a dough.
>
> Maybe something can be done with caramelised sugar, or a high
> viscosity corn syrup, to get kind of tea cookies ?
>
> Thank you very much.