Vanillekipferl - Vanilla crescent

Here comes another typical recipe from the wide range of options for Christmas cookies that are baked in almost every home in Germany during this festive days. Vanillakipferl, or Vanilla Crescent have to be my favorite ones... just LOVE THEM!

They are crunchy and at the same time dissolve in the mouth. Not that sweet in this recipe, and the taste of nuts with vanilla makes them a delight no-one should miss. And they are SO easy to make! -one of the easiest cookies I've ever made!

Ingredients:

• 100 gr Flour (I used whole grain)
• 150 gr Corn Starch (Maizena)
• 1/4 tsp Baking powder
• 110 gr Confectioners sugar
• 3 egg yolk
• 200 gr Soft butter or Margarine
• 125 gr Grounded Hazelnuts or Almonds (I made them with Hazelnuts)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract (liquid or powder)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven in 180-200°C (356°F - 392°F). Mix the flour with the corn starch and the baking powder. Sieve and pour in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix first with your mixer using the kneading hook in slow speed first then on the highest speed.

Once all is mix and you have a consistent dough, place it in your working table and knead with your hands until you have a soft dough, like if you were making bread. If your dough is too sticky, add some flour to your working area and to your hands and continue kneading until it is soft and not sticky anymore. You can also place it in the freezer for some minutes.

Take a very small portion of the dough and form the crescent form (or half moon) and place them in your baking plate, previously prepared with baking paper.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes (check constantly as every oven is different).

When ready, let them cool down (I just had to get them out to our balcony for about 5 minutes, it is so cold, snowy and windy over here right now!) and then sieve some confectioners sugar over them.

Munch them and enjoy!

Choco-Crunch Pralines

Last weekend, while making late lunch, I decided on the run, to make some of the most delicious and easiest pralines, candy or crunchy treat I've ever had. I don't know what name to give to them, as the official commercial name owned by Nestle is Choco-Crossies and they are very very well known here in Germany. It is nothing but Cornflakes and Chocolate. So I decided to call them Choco-Crunch Pralines.

As I just mentioned, they are known and loved by the Germans. I always see people getting them in the supermarkets, and particularly, my husband's family love them. So, some time ago I decided to give it a try and it was so easy to make that I started experimenting with other classical additions that enhance the Choco-experience.

Last weekend I decided to make to kinds. First with dark Chocolate, I added Nougat (Hazelnuts-Cocoa cream), and Chopped Hazelnuts, and the second kind, with White Chocolate, Almonds and Coconut. Easy, quick, and delicious... Last day they were all gone!

Ingredients:
(many many portions, 2 baking plates full)

For the dark Chocky-Crunchy Praline:

• 100 gr Dark Couverture Chocolate
• 50 gr CornFlakes
• 100 gr Nougat (Hazelnuts-Cocoa cream)
• 2 or 3 Tbsp Chopped Hazelnuts

For the white Chocky-Crunchy Praline:

• 100 gr White Couverture Chocolate
• 50 gr CornFlakes
• 2 or 3 Tbsp Chopped Almonds
• 2 or 3 Tbsp grounded Coconut

Preparation:

In different bowls, melt in the microwave -carefully not to burn them- the Dark and White Couverture Chocolate. As well if needed, the Hazelnuts Nougat. You can also do it in your stove only in water-bath. But trust me, it is way easier and faster in the Microwave. Just some seconds and you're done. Once Chocolate and the Nougat are melted, comes the fun!

Grab one bowl for the dark Pralines and another for the white ones. Drop in the cornflakes, and each ingredient on each bowl. Add the corresponding Chocolate and mix energetically until the cornflakes are covered with the chocolate. (Reserve some of the chopped hazelnuts and the grounded coconut for later).

Now get 2 of your oven baking plates or any other big surface plate, cover it with baking paper (or aluminium foil or any non-sticky surface) and with 2 tablespoons, make little "hills" as seen on the photos. Don't worry for its irregular form, that makes them look much more home-made. To the Dark Choco-Pralines, let fall some Chopped Hazelnuts over them for decoration. To the white ones, add the grounded coconut.

Let them cool down in your fridge, or right now in the northern hemisphere, you can just leave them outside (covered) to cool down. Here at home, at around 6 pm, I placed them in my balcony garden-table, and they were cold and ready to be eaten in 10 to 15 minutes!

To store them, you can store them in a cookies can outside your fridge. They keep hard enough as any other good chocolate. About how long does they last? I don't really know, because every time I make them at home, they don't last more than 2 days... they are delicious!! And a last short tip: they are EXCELLENT for Christmas times!