You wouldn’t be reaching for the stars baking these pretty Greek almond crescents, also known as kourambiethes. Traditionally served at Easter, the almond butter biscuits, we feel, should also be enjoyed all year round for their nutty fragrance and delicious shortbread texture.
Ingredients
- 250 g butter
- 1 cup (220 g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup (120 g) blanched almonds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) brandy
- 2½ cup (375 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1½ cup (225 g) self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup (60 ml) rosewater
- ½ cup (125 ml) water
- 3 cups (480 g) icing (confectioners') sugar
Steps
Have butter and egg at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease oven trays.
Place nuts on oven tray; roast about 8 mins or until browned lightly. Cool; chop finely.
Beat butter, extract and caster sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and brandy; transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in nuts and sifted flours and nutmeg, in two batches.
Turn dough onto floured surface; knead lightly until smooth. Shape tablespoons of dough into crescent shapes; place about 2.5 cm apart on trays. Bake about 15 mins or until browned lightly.
Lift hot crescents onto wire racks; brush with combined rosewater and the water. Coat thickly with sifted icing sugar; cool.