Cardamom Crescents Food

WALNUT-CARDAMOM CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the lower rack until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes; let cool completely. Pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add the flour and pulse to combine; set aside.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, the vanilla, cardamom and salt; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the walnut-flour mixture until just incorporated. Cover the dough and refrigerate until slightly firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl; set aside. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into thin crescents and arrange 1 inch apart on 2 unlined baking sheets.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are golden on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then carefully transfer to the bowl of confectioners? sugar and gently roll to coat. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, then reroll in the confectioners? sugar.

CARDAMOM-WALNUT CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all dough ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the dough resembles coarse meal. Then process continuously until it begins to gather together.
• Roll 2 teaspoons dough at a time into half moon shapes. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake until firm to touch, about 18 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the vanilla sugar ingredients in a food processor until the vanilla bean is pulverized.
• When cookies are done, let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack. Sift the vanilla sugar over them immediately. Continue cooling for 15 minutes. The cookies may be stored in an airtight container up to 5 days.

CARDAMOM BUTTER CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, add the flour, cardamom and salt, and whisk to combine.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on low speed until just combined. Add egg whites, beat until just combined, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece out into a log 3/4-inch thick. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut 3-inch pieces off the log. Working with one 3-inch piece at a time, gently roll both ends so they taper slightly, then form into a crescent. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining dough, placing the crescents 1-inch apart.
• Gently press 1 almond slice into each cookie. Bake until light golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Cool, then dust with confectioners' sugar.