Vanilla Kipferl (or vanilla crescents) are a traditional German Christmas biscuit, and one that I grew up with in our household. I don’t believe I have celebrated one Christmas without them, and they are by far one of my favourites - as simple as the ingredients may be.
Making them reminds my of home and my childhood Christmases which were all about family, food and German tradition, which my parents were determined to uphold after migrating to Australia. I loved our unique way of celebrating.

Makes 36 biscuits

Ingredients

125 raw caster sugar
250g unsalted butter - cold and cut in cubes
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or essence
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
125g nut meal (almond, hazelnut or walnut)
300g plain flour
2 egg yolks
1 cup icing sugar

Method

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together the sugar and butter until smooth and combined and there are no flecks of butter remaining.
Beat in the vanilla bean paste and the salt.
Add the nut meal, flour and egg yolks and beat on low until the mixture forms a smooth ball.
Divide the ball into half. Wrap one half in baking paper and chill while shaping the other half.
Break off 20 g balls of dough.
Sprinkle a little flour on a bench and pinch the dough into a long sausage before rolling it into a length of approximately 8 cm. Taper the ends by angling your hands inward while your roll.
Form the sausages into crescents and space them onto baking trays.
Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Bake at 165 deg C fan forced for 12-15 minutes or until just starting to colour
While the biscuits are still warm, sift over a generous amount of icing sugar.
Allow them to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container (expect for one or two - it’s important to test your work)