Nan-berenji: rice cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 110 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons rose water
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 cups rice flour + more as needed
• Black sesame or poppy seeds, optional

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the rose water and cardamom and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Add the rice flour and use a silicone spatula to knead the dough until it becomes soft and slightly damp, about 3 minutes. If necessary, add more rice flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 160°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
4. Take 0.5 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and gently press it down to form a 1 cm thick disk. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the disks 5 cm apart. Using the edge of a small spoon, gently make several curved indentations on the surface of each disk, radiating outward from the center. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using).
5. Bake until the edges of the cookies begin to darken slightly, 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack. The cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.