Wiener Vanillekipferl (Viennese Vanilla Crescents)

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Ingredients:
3-1/2 tablespoons unpeeled almonds
3-1/2 tablespoons hazelnuts
1-1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup, plus 6 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
5 packets vanilla sugar (available at specialty food stores)
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Pour boiling water over the almonds, remove the skins and finely chop. Finely chop the hazelnuts. Sift the flour onto a large wooden board. Make a well in the flour and add the almonds, hazelnuts, sugar, salt, butter and egg yolks. Knead dough until it is smooth and pliable, but do not over knead. Wrap the dough in aluminum foil and let rest for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 375*F. Divide the dough and form into several pencil-thick rolls. Cut the rolls into 2 inch lengths and bend into crescent shapes. Place on cookie sheets and bake on middle rack until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Stir the vanilla sugar and powdered sugar together in a shallow bowl. Carefully dip the still warm crescent cookies in the sugar.

Tip: to store the cookies so they won't break, stack them lengthwise between wax paper in a cookie tin.
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