Málnás Velvet Cookies

The flour amount is approximate (about 300 g), so add the last portion gradually and stop once the dough is soft but shapeable. Sticky dough usually means it needs a little more flour, or that the butter was too warm from mixing with the oil and yogurt. Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes and it will firm up enough to roll into 25 g balls.

Yes - any thick jam works, since the ground almonds are what turn it into a creamy, pipeable filling rather than a runny one. Stick to a jam of similar consistency; a very loose or syrupy one may need slightly more almonds to stay in the indentation. Seedless or strained jam pipes most smoothly through the bag.

Let them cool completely first - the recipe relies on that step for the cookies to set, and warm cookies will go soft in a tin. Store them in an airtight container in a single layer or between parchment, since the jam centers stay tacky. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, as the sugar dissolves into the surface over time.

Both components keep well: the dough can be wrapped and refrigerated, and the almond-jam filling can be stirred together and kept in the piping bag until you need it. If the dough has been chilled for longer than the 10-15 minutes in the recipe, let it sit at room temperature briefly so it doesn't crack when you press the indentation. Shaped, filled cookies can also wait in the fridge on the baking tray until the oven is ready.

Overbaking is the big one - the recipe asks for the tops to stay rather light, so check at 16 minutes rather than trusting golden color. The other frequent slip is a shallow indentation: press deep, or the filling spreads across the surface instead of staying in the center. Skipping the 10-15 minute chill also lets the cookies lose their shape in the oven.