Nut Crescents

(from “A Taste for All Seasons cookbook”)

This quantity makes about 24

Nut Crescents are a beloved bakery classic, celebrated for their delicate texture and distinct crescent shape. At their core, these treats are a premium style of shortbread, utilizing a high ratio of butter to flour. The magic happens with the addition of finely ground nuts, which disrupt the gluten formation. This technique creates an incredibly tender, crumbly structure that literally melts on your tongue

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 125g butter
• 60g almonds (unblanched)
• 1 egg yolk
• Little castor sugar to finish
  
  

Method

Sift the plain flour into a basin. Add sugar. Cut butter into small pieces and rub in. Mince or grind the almonds and add with the egg yolk. Knead lightly until a soft consistency. It should be slightly moist and sticky. Take teaspoons of the mixture and roll out into crescents. Place these on a buttered scone tray. They can be put fairly close together as they don’t spread.

Bake in a moderate oven, 180–190°C (350–375°F), for about 12–15 minutes or until a pale golden colour. Remove carefully while warm using a spatula. Have a piece of paper ready with some castor sugar on it. Place each crescent on this and toss gently in the sugar. Put aside to cool and store when cold. They keep well for weeks in an airtight tin.

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Shortbread

It is said that Queen Victoria was very fond of shortbread and enjoyed a piece regularly with her afternoon tea. It can be eaten throughout the year, but it is particularly reserved as a Christmas tradition.

You can buy interesting little shortbread moulds which make patterned rounds, but the taste is just as good if you cut into strips, circles or triangles and form a pattern by pinching the edges. Don’t make the mixture too thick, otherwise it will colour too much before being cooked through.

Ingredients

• 250g flour
• 125g rice flour
• 250g butter
• 125g caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
  

Method

Sift the flour and rice flour onto a board or bench. Push the flour out so there is a space in the centre.

Cut the butter into small pieces and place it, with the caster sugar and salt, in the centre of the flour.

Using your fingers, mix the butter and sugar until blended, then gradually work in the flour. Provided the butter is not too hard, this does not take long.

Knead the dough lightly—it should be a firm mixture. If it is too moist to handle you can wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a short time.

Roll out thinly and cut into squares, circles or triangles. Using two fingers, pinch one edge to make a pattern. Prick each piece of shortbread in three places using the prongs of a fork.

Place on a buttered scone tray and bake in a moderate oven, 180°C (350°F), for 20 minutes or until a very pale golden colour. If the shortbread is becoming brown before it is cooked, cover with some greaseproof paper.

Remove the shortbread to a rack to cool before transferring it to an airtight tin.

Raspberry Nut Torte

This cake base is very quick and simple to make and it is as light as a feather. It keeps moist for several days in an airtight tin.

Nut Crescents are a beloved bakery classic, celebrated for their delicate texture and distinct crescent shape. At their core, these treats are a premium style of shortbread, utilizing a high ratio of butter to flour. The magic happens with the addition of finely ground nuts, which disrupt the gluten formation. This technique creates an incredibly tender, crumbly structure that literally melts on your tongue

Cake Ingredients

• 125 g (4 oz) hazelnuts, finely ground (you can also use walnuts for a change)
• Grated rind of 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs made from stale white bread
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup castor sugar
  
  

Grease 2 sponge tins (size 20 cm or 8 inch). Line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper and grease again. Mix nuts, lemon rind and breadcrumbs together. Beat egg yolks with castor sugar until thick and lemon in colour. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold whites gently into egg yolks. Lastly add the nut mixture and fold through. Divide mixture between the tins and bake in a moderate oven, 180–190°C (350–375°F), for 16–20 minutes or until just firm on top.

Filling

• 1½ cups cream
• 3 tablespoons castor sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 punnet fresh raspberries (about 1 cup)
  
  

Spread a thick layer on one of the cakes, top with the other cake. Spread top and sides with the remaining cream. If you wish you can save about 10 raspberries and use to decorate the top of the cake.

Leave for 1 hour for the flavours to mature, although it will keep like this for 12 hours, refrigerated.

When raspberries are out of season, the same cake can be made using a punnet of strawberries. Crush these just the same before adding to the cream.

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