Vanilla Kipfel

• 6 tbsp (90 ml) granulated sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, each approximately 9" long
• 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) whole unblanched almonds
• 1-1/4 cups (300 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
• 12 tbsp (175 ml) (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 pieces
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) confectioners sugar or vanilla sugar, sifted (see note)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (175 C.).
2. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease them lightly with vegetable oil.
3. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl.
4. Split the vanilla beans open lengthwise.
5. Using the point of a knife, gently scrape the seeds into the bowl of sugar.
6. Place the almonds in a food processor and process til fine, 45 seconds; do not overprocess.
7. Add the sugar mixture, flour, and salt, and process to mix, 5 seconds.
8. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until the dough resembles course meal, 15 seconds.
9. With the processor running, pour the yolks through the feed tube.
10. Stop the processor, then pulse 5 times.
11. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, and then process until the dough comes together, 5 to 10 seconds.
12. Pinch off tbsp of the dough and form each of them into crescents.
13. Place the crescents 1 1/2" apart on the prepared baking sheets, and bake until firm and just beginning to turn golden, 30 minutes.
14. To test for doneness, remove a cookie from the sheet and cut it in half.
15. The center should not be doughy.
16. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the baking sheets.
17. Roll them in the confectioners' sugar and set them on wire racks to cool completely before eating.
18. Store the cookies in an airtight plastic container at room temperature for a day or two or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
19. Note: To make vanilla sugar, place a whole vanilla bean in 3 to 4 cups (950 ml) granulated sugar and let it sit for a minimum of 1 week.

sugar, vanilla beans, almonds, flour, salt, unsalted butter, egg yolks, confectioners sugar

Taken from online-cookbook.com/goto/cook/rpage/00095A (may not work)