Traditional Austrian crescent-shaped shortbread cookies with almonds and vanilla, coated in vanilla or powdered sugar. Also known as Vanilla Kipferl or Vanilla Crescents.
Ingredients
1 vanilla bean
2/3 cup blanched almonds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 pinch pinch of salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, cut into slivers
2 large egg yolks
vanilla sugar (see below) or powdered sugar (pictured)
Directions
- Cut open the vanilla bean and scrape out the pith. Grind the amonds very fine in a food processor. With a large knife, blend together the almonds with the flour sugar, salt, vanilla pith, and butter, using a chopping motion, on a work board. Add the egg yolk and knead to form a dough. Chill, wrapped in plastic. Shape the dough into a roll and cut into 50 equal pieces. Preheat the oven to 375F. Form the pieces into small rolls with pointy tapering ends; bend these into crescents and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in the center of the oven until light brown, about 12 minutes. Dredge the crescents while still warm in vanilla sugar or powdered sugar. Reapply sugar after they cool (sift over the top inside their storage container).
- To make vanilla sugar: Keep caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar, baker’s sugar and berry sugar) and a vanilla bean in an air tight jar, after a few weeks the sugar will taste of vanilla. You can also purchase vanilla sugar in many supermarkets or order online.