Vanilkové Rohlíčky (Czech Vanilla Crescent Cookies)

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, ground nuts, 70 g powdered sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips, or pulse in a food processor, until crumbly. Press into a dough without overworking it.
2. Wrap the dough and chill it for 1 hour.
3. Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Pinch off pieces of about 10 g and roll each into a rope about 6 cm (2 1/2 in) long, tapering the ends. Bend into crescents and place on the sheets 2 cm (3/4 in) apart.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until pale gold at the edges but not browned.
6. While they bake, rub the vanilla seeds into the 100 g powdered sugar with your fingers until evenly mixed.
7. Let the crescents cool for 3 minutes on the tray, because they are fragile. Roll them gently in the vanilla sugar while still warm and set them on a rack. Roll again once cool for a thicker coat.
8. Store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.

Tips

• Work with cold dough and a light hand. Warm dough spreads and overworked dough turns tough. Chill the shaped crescents for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
• Roll the cookies while still warm for the first coat and again when cool for a snowy finish. A vanilla bean gives the best flavor, though 2 tsp vanilla extract in the dough also works.