Almond Crescent Moon Biscuits
My mother's Almond Moon Biscuits use a recipe that has been handed around from sister to sister-in-law for a few generations now. The 'recipe' has always simply been a list of ingredients that seems to be measured largely in espresso coffee cup portions. The technique was never written down and something you just kept in your memory, using the feel of the dough as a guide for how the recipe is going.
My mother always seems to have a stash of them in her freezer and a separate stash in the fridge, in case visitors "drop-in". It's something I love about that generation, so the last time I travelled back home, I made them with my mother so I could write proper quantities and instructions and share them with you all.
They have a heady orange fragrance and the satisfying crunch of freshly roasted nuts. They are also enjoyed best, in my opinion, with a fresh espresso in hand.
This recipe makes 50 biscuits.
Ingredients 7
250 g roasted almond, whole, finely chopped
1 orange, large, juice and rind, 1/2 cup juice
250 g unsalted butter, melted
30 g caster sugar, (3 tbsp)
1 egg yolk
500 g self-raising flour
icing sugar, to serve
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Method 9
Preheat oven to 170°C and place on a flat baking tray. Roast almonds for 6-8 minutes until they are just starting to turn golden then remove and set aside to cool (don't over-roast them or the biscuits will taste burnt after they are baked)
Place the in a food processor and pulse until the texture is very finely chopped (you do not want it to be as fine as almond meal so stop before it gets that fine)
Place the in a medium microwave safe bowl and melt in short bursts until the butter is very soft and slightly runny.
Add to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until combined then add the and stir again until combined. Add the orange rind and juice and the , stirring between each.
Slowly add the to the mixture a little at a time and stir well between each addition. When getting to the end of the flour mixture, start using your hands to mix.
When the dough feels like it is coming together, transfer to a benchtop and sprinkle a little more on top work it until it the dough feels firm.
Preheat oven to 170°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Pat the dough down on your bench to a rectangle about 1.5cm thick and then gently even the top with a light press of a rolling pin. Using the rim of an espresso cup (or small glass) cut moon shapes out of the dough and transfer to a lined baking tray using your hands to shape them further into moon shapes, if required.
Bake biscuits for 16-18 minutes or until the biscuits are a light golden brown all over. Remove from oven and cool completely. Once cool, dip biscuits into a bowl of icing sugar and place in a sealed container until ready to serve. When serving sprinkle with a little more icing sugar.
Amanda Michetti's tips
This makes a large quantity of biscuits but they are the perfect make-ahead recipe as they store beautifully in the following ways:
STORING THE DOUGH
The dough can be frozen, un-baked for up to 3 months and will just need to be defrosted before completing steps 7-9.
STORING BAKED BISCUITS
After baking and cooling (but before adding the icing sugar), the biscuits can be stored either in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container or refrigerated if stored the same way for a couple of weeks. I doubt they will last that long in either location though. Simply bring to room temp, toss in icing sugar and serve.
