viennese almond crescents

I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet how awesome Christmas crafts are. I love homemade decorations, and I love making decorations. At the moment, we have a glass sliding door full of pretty snowflakes; paper bunting in the living room; burnt gingerbread snowflakes and trees hanging from one wall; lyrics and pipe cleaner stars on another wall; and much pretty paper chain.

It’s gorgeous.

Christmas is one of those times where everything is made pretty. Houses are cleaned, decorations are put up, pretty packages wrapped. It’s kind of a shame that we can’t be this conscious of our possessions all the time. Like that William Morris quote — have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

These cookies are both useful and beautiful. You can give them as a gift, they taste great (especially when dipped in apple butter, or so I’m told). They’re pretty and delicate and just the thing to have with your coffee.  Merry Christmas.

Viennese Almond Crescents

Adapted from Tartelette

60 g almond meal

60 g icing sugar

115 g unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

150 g plain flour

1/8 tsp salt

powdered sugar, to coat

Sift the almond meal and icing sugar together in a medium sized bowl. Beat in butter and vanilla using a wooden spoon.

Sift the flour into the bowl and add the salt. Fold in with the wooden spoon, just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Shape them into crescents and set out on the baking tray, with about an inch of gap in between each cookie.

Bake 8-10 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool on baking tray for about five-ten minutes and while still warm, toss to coat in powdered sugar.