By Fans For Fans Recipes

ROYAL FANS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together cake flour and sugar. Add butter and almond extract, working it into mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Compress dough into a ball, kneading it slightly if necessary until it is cohesive.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/3-inch thickness. Use a fluted 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut into disks. Cut each piece into quarters. Using a small spatula or knife, lightly press five or six angled indentations into each quarter to resemble folds of a fan.
• Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Whisk each egg yolk separately with 1 teaspoon water and a drop or two of food coloring, then brush it lightly over folds of fans with a small paintbrush. Decorate cookies with silver dragées, placing a dragée at end of each fold of fan.
• Bake until very light brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely, and store at room temperature in an airtight container.

GRILLED POTATO FANS

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, make cuts 1/2 in. apart in each potato, leaving slices attached at the bottom. Fan the potatoes slightly. Place each on a piece of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. square). Insert onions and butter between potato slices. Sprinkle with celery, salt, oregano, garlic powder and pepper. Fold foil around potatoes and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 40-45 minutes or until tender.