Can you smell it already?
I got this recipe off a German women's magazine while at the hairdresser's having a haircut (yes, very Desperate Hausfrau I know). But the kindergarten was having a bake sale for the Christmas market on the weekend and this was one of the simplest, most delicious cookies that I know and never mess up. And it was one of the classic German Chrismas cookies (kinda like Pineapple Tarts for Hari Raya/Chinese New Year in Singapore) so what better to sell at the Christmas Market? The only problem was stopping from popping one in my mouth (and my son's) every time we put the sugar topping on 5 cookies. But then again, that was merely quality control testing at its most efficient.
Usually, these cookies are crescent shaped. According to stories, these cookies were 'invented' in Vienna to commemorate the retreat of the Moors/Muslims from that area. Thus the crescent shape which, I suppose, represented Muslims. How it became popular for Christmas, I do not know. But they are crispy melt-in-yuor-mouth delicious. A note of warning though - this short-crust pastry dough can be tough to handle in a hot tropical climate. In this case, the fridge is your best friend. Put in the fridge whenever you think the dough is melting, ok?
Vanillakipferln (about 50-70 cookies, depending on size and shape)
200g all purpose flour
80 grams sugar
175 very cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolks, beaten lightly
100g fine ground almonds
Extract from 1 vanilla pod
A pinch of salt
Icing sugar for dusting
Ready? Set. Go!
I have 2 secrets for this cookie - 1) frozen butter 2) food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can just use a normal mixer with a kneading function or go old school all the way - use your hands (obviously butter cannot be frozen then). But the less you touch the dough with your warm hands, the better.
Food processor method
Put all ingredient EXCEPT the yolks in and mix until mixture represents dry breadcrumbs. Then add the beaten egg yolks a little at a time until the mixture kinda curdles. It will not form into a ball, but merely look like small dough balls. At this point, turn the machine off, (whole process takes about 5 minutes) take the dough out, form into rough log shapes, wrap it up in cling film and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before moving on.
Mixer with kneading function
Pretty similar as above, but it will take slightly longer and the mixture will form into a ball. At which point you refrigerate as above.
Using hands.
Make sure you have cold hands by running under cold water and wiping them dry. Mix the dry ingredients until they form breadcrumbs (or use a pastry cutter). Then add the beaten egg yolks and knead until you can form a ball shape. Then refrigerate. The less you knead the dough, the better.
After 15 mins or so, roll out the dough between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper until about 2 cm thick. Cut into whatever shapes you fancy. Place in an oven at 160 degrees for about 15 minutes (they should remain fairly white/beige). Then take them out, and let them cool a little before turning them them onto another tray (be careful as they are crumbly when hot). Then dust the icing sugar on top while the cookies are still warm, to help the sugar stick to the cookies. Try not to eat all at one go.
These cookies keep well in an air-tight container for about 3 weeks. If they last that long. Enjoy!
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