Vanilla Freezer Biscuits (cookies) (with Variations)

Total Time: 27 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla bean (halved lengthways)
• 250 g butter (softened)
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar icing (to serve)

Recipe

• 1 scrape seeds from vanilla bean (they advise you discard the bean but stick it in a canister of sugar and you will soon have vanilla sugar).
• 2 beat butter, sugar and bean seeds until pale and creamy using an electric mixer.
• 3 add egg and beat until combined.
• 4 sift flour over butter mixture and use a wooden spoon, stir to combine.
• 5 place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide in half.
• 6 using hands shape each half in a 30cm long log.
• 7 wrap each log in baking paper, twirling ends to seal.
• 8 freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
• 9 remove logs from freezer 15 minutes before slicing.
• 10 preheat oven to 180 degree c (160 c for fan forced).
• 11 line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
• 12 remove paper from logs and slice into 1.5cm thick rounds.
• 13 place rounds, 3cm apart on prepared trays.
• 14 bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden colour.
• 15 cool on trays for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• 16 dust with icing sugar and serve.
• 17 you can leave logs in freezer for up to 2 months, thaw for 1 hour before slicing and baking.
• 18 variations.
• 19 chocolate chips - stir 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate chips at the end of step 4.
• 20 pistachio - stir in 2/3 cups of roughly chopped pistachio kernels at the end of step 4.
• 21 citrus - add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon or orange rind with vanilla bean seeds in step 2.