Vanilla Horseshoe Cookies Recipes

VANILLEKIPFERL (AUSTRIAN VANILLA CRESCENT COOKIES)

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until thoroughly combined. Unless you're using the egg yolks the dough will be pretty dry and flaky, like shortbread cookie dough. Shape the dough into a log and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut off small pieces of the dough and shape them into crescents. Place the crescents onto a non-stick or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of the crescents) or until the edges begin to turn golden.
• Combine the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Let the cookies sit for one minute and then use a sifter to dust them with the vanilla-powdered sugar while they're still hot. Let the cookies cool completely and then give them a second dusting.
• Stored in an airtight container in a cool place, these cookies will keep for several weeks.

CREAM HORNS

Steps:

• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry dough into a 12-by-18-inch rectangle. Brush off excess flour. Using a pastry wheel or sharp knife, trim edges and cut dough lengthwise into twelve 3/4-inch-wide strips.
• Lay one of the strips flat on a clean work surface; using a pastry brush, moisten top with beaten egg. Starting at pointed end of a cream-horn mold, wrap strip, with the egg-washed side up, around it in a spiral fashion, with each spiral overlapping slightly. Tuck or press loose end into last spiral; place spiral tucked side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips. Wrap in plastic wrap; place in refrigerator 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush dough again with beaten egg. Spread granulated sugar in a shallow pan; dip one side of each horn in sugar to coat. Return each, sugar side up, to baking sheet.
• Bake until horns are golden brown and puffed, about 12 minutes; reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Remove pan from oven; using a kitchen towel, carefully remove molds from horns. Return horns to baking sheet, and continue baking until insides are lightly golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Remove from oven; immediately transfer horns to a wire rack to cool completely. Horns can be prepared up to this point and stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days before filling and serving.
• When ready to serve, place cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and add vanilla; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag; pipe cream into horns. Serve immediately.

VANILLEKIPFERL (VANILLA COOKIES)

Steps:

• Half the vanilla bean lenghtwise and scrap out the vanilla pulp. Grate lemon to get the peel.
• Sieve flour an put into food processor. Add vanilla pulp, grounded almonds, egg yolks, sugar, salt, lemon peel.
• Cut cold butter into pieces and add to flour mixture. Mix in food processor until dough has formed. Don't overmix.
• Take dough out of food processor and knead once or twice to form the dough.
• Wrap into clinge film and cool in the fridge for at least one hour. You can also leave it in the fridge over night.
• Preheat oven (180 c). Grease a baking tray.
• Take dough out of the fridge. Take a small portion of dough and form a roll of about 1 cm in diameter. Cut this roll into pieces of 6 cm.
• Shape these little rolls to make "half moons" or "horseshoes" (KIpferl).
• Bake cookies for about 15 minutes until light golden.
• Meanwhile mix mix caster sugar and vanilla sugar.
• Take cookies out of oven and let cool on rack. While still warm dust them with the vanilla-caster-sugar mixture.
• Keep them in an airtight container.
• NOTE: time to make does not include cooling time. Baking time is given for one tray. Custom yield is a guess.
• NOTE on Dusting: you can try other spices here. If you like cinnamon add some instead of vanilla. Or what is about cardamom or coriander. For a very different treat you could add cacoa and a bit of chili to it.