Swiss Hazelnut Taler

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread the hazelnuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven until toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a damp towel, cover the nuts and rub lightly to remove most of the skins. Allow nuts to cool completely.
• When the hazelnuts are cool, transfer to a food processor or blender. Cover and pulse until ground, although not too fine since this will give a more interesting texture.
• In a large bowl, stir together the ground hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, salt, potato starch and confectioners' sugar. Measure in the vanilla, and butter; knead everything by hand until it becomes smooth and evenly mixed dough. Divide into 8 portions and roll each one into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Stir together the cocoa powder and white sugar; place on a plate. Roll each piece of dough in the cocoa and sugar mixture. Wrap with plastic or waxed paper and place in the freezer until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Slice the rolls of cookie dough into 1/4 inch thick slices and place the cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the centers appear dry and the bottoms are lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.