makes
24
prep
40 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Easy
makes
24
serves
preparation
40
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 185 g unsalted butter
- 60 g (½ cup) icing sugar mixture, plus 60 g (½ cup) extra to coat
- 1 tsp natural vanilla essence or extract
- 2 egg yolks
- 225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
- 50 g (½ cup) almond meal
- 1 vanilla bean
Cooling time 30 minutes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 2 large oven trays with non-stick baking paper.
Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, icing sugar mixture and vanilla essence or extract until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks and beat until well combined.
Combine the flour and almond meal, add to the butter mixture and beat on lowest possible speed until just combined.
Shape level tablespoonfuls of the mixture into small logs about 6 cm long and then taper the ends and shape into crescents. Place on the lined trays about 2 cm apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until pale golden and cooked through.
Meanwhile, halve the vanilla bean lengthways, use a small sharp knife to scrape the seeds out and add to the extra icing sugar mixture in a medium bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the vanilla seeds through the icing sugar evenly.
When the biscuits are cooked, remove from the oven and then toss while still warm, one at a time, through the vanilla icing sugar to coat (see Baker’s tips). Cool completely on a wire rack.
Baker’s tips
• These biscuits will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Reserve any remaining vanilla sugar and use to sprinkle over the biscuits before serving.
Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. Read our with her or for hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at . Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via , , and .
Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O'Brien. Food preparation by Tina McLeish.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
