Vanilla shortbread fingers
“We have a lot to thank the Aztecs for. Not only did they give us chocolate, but also its natural companion, vanilla.”
- 250g of unsalted butter
- 125g of sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 450g of plain flour
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- caster sugar
For me, vanilla's perfume is among my favourite smells. Its intoxicating scent can go too far, however: workers who handle lots of vanilla daily are exposed to a mite that can induce headaches, lassitude and allergic skin reactions. This reaction is called vanillism.
Method
In a mixer, beat 250g of unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add 125g of sugar and keep beating until fluffy. Split a vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds with a sharp knife. Sift 450g of plain flour and add to the butter and sugar mixture, along with the vanilla seeds and a teaspoon of vanilla essence. Mix gradually to form dough. Press into a rectangular tart mould or roll out the dough evenly. Either way, make sure it is about 8mm thick. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Cut into fingers about 8cm by 2.5cm. Prick each finger lightly with a fork, place them on a baking tray and put into a preheated oven at 180C for about 15 minutes. They should be lightly golden but not brown. Remove them from the oven, sprinkle with caster sugar while hot and cool them.
Makes about 20
fingers.
