Add another half-teaspoon lemon peel if you serve these cookies without the pears.

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup icing sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon 5-spice powder or ground cinnamon

¾ cup butter

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Mix together flour, icing sugar, cornstarch, lemon rind, salt and 5-spice powder in a large bowl.

Add butter and incorporate with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Knead mixture into a ball. Pinch off small pieces and shape into 1-inch balls.

Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten balls slightly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 20 cookies.