Czech Bear Paws

4 cups toasted ground hazelnuts
2 cups all purpose flour
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t ground cinnamon
½ t ground nutmeg
¼ t salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
½ cup melted chocolate chips
slivered almonds, halved

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place hazelnuts, flour, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl; stir to combine.

Beat butter, powdered sugar, and egg yolk in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms, scraping down side of bowl once.


Grease 3 madeleine pans with softened butter, 1 teaspoon per pan; dust with flour. (IF only one 1 madeleine pan is available, thoroughly wash, dry, regrease and flour after baking each batch. Cover remaining dough with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature.)


Press level Tablespoonfuls of dough into each mold. 


Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cookies stand in pan 3 minutes. Carefully loosen cookies from pan with point of small knife. Invert pan over wire racks; tap lightly to release cookies. Let stand 2 minutes. Turn cookies shell side up; cool completely.


Pipe squiggle of melted chocolate on curved end of each cookie; place slivered almond halves in melted chocolate for claws. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until set.


Store tightly covered at room temperature. These cookies Do NOT Freeze well.


Makes abut 5 dozen cookies.