Vanillekipferl

Vanillekipferl are classic Austrian Christmas cookies.  They're small, delicate, crescent-shaped, and flavored with vanilla and almonds.

The perfect vanillekipferl has a most delicate texture that crumbles almost instantly when you put it in your mouth.  Last time I tried to make vanillekipferl (a few years ago) with a recipe I found on the internet, it was a total disaster.  They were hard as rocks!  This year, Georg's mother emailed me the recipe she uses, and it worked really, really well.

                                                                               

 

You need:

150 grams butter

2 egg yolks

80 grams sugar

1 package of vanilla sugar

200 grams flour

100 grams ground almonds

50 grams powdered sugar

2 additional packages of vanilla sugar

To make:

Cream the butter and sugars together, beat in the egg yolks.  Stir in the ground almonds and finally the flour to form a crumbly dough.  Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Form the dough into 2 inch long ropes, then shape into crescents.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies are done (the length of time will depend on the size and thickness of the crescent shapes).  While the cookies are baking, mix together the powdered sugar and the packets of vanilla sugar in a pie dish.  When the cookies come out of the oven, allow them to cool just slightly (or else they will break when you try to dredge them in the sugar).  While the cookies are still quite warm, carefully place them in the plate and coat them well with the sugar.  Shake off the excess sugar, and then place on a plate and allow to cool fully.