Who can resist a snowy pile of kourabiedes, the Greek shortbread served at many celebrations and festivities, be it Christmas, a baptism or Easter? This melt-in-the-mouth version is scented with vanilla, aniseed and rosewater. Don’t skimp on the icing sugar.
Ingredients
Method
Main
1.Preheat oven to 180C. Spread almonds on an oven tray and roast, stirring occasionally, until golden (5-6 minutes). When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop and set aside.
2.Beat butter, 75gm icing sugar and vanilla seeds in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes). Beat in yolk, then ouzo, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Sift in flour and baking powder, add almonds and stir to form a stiff dough, then turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3.Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1.5cm-thick. Cut into crescents with a 5cm-diameter cutter and place on baking trays lined with baking paper. Press scraps together and repeat. Bake until light golden (18-20 minutes), cool on trays for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with rosewater. Dust heavily with remaining icing sugar, cool completely on trays. Biscuits will keep, stored in an airtight container, for 1 week (dust with icing sugar between layers).
Note This recipe makes about 30.
Notes
