Concubine crescents (kourabiethes)

My friend Anne absolutely loves these traditional Greek shortbread biscuits.   Anne is an artiste who makes the most exquisite mosaic art, using coloured glass, you've ever seen.   My son calls her home 'the house with the broken glass'.  Shimmering images of peacocks (her favourite bird), kookaburras and fish adorn her creations.  Her Chinese water paintings featuring Mongolian themes are marvellous too.  It's not likely you'll see her work because she refuses to exhibit  - quelle dommage!  When asked if there are other talented artistes in her family, apparently there is a famous painter in the U.S. who is her uncle and most interestingly of all, one of her descendents was a renowned poet in China.  He specialised in erotic poetry depicting his exploits with his favourite concubine.   This is my way of paying homage to this style of poetry!

As you'll notice there are few ingredients but the secret is in the technique.  The butter and sugar need to be creamed to within an inch of their life before the vanilla extract is added.  Makes around 30.

250g unsalted butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup of almonds, roasted and chopped coarsely
2cups self raising flour
1 cup of icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180degrees.

Beat butter and sugar until it all becomes white (probably 5 minutes with the mix master).  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Incorporate the flour and almonds.  Once combined into a very bumpy ball shape, pull off small pieces and roll into logs then bend slightly in middle to form a crescent shape.  Place on baking paper lined baking trays and bake in oven for about 10 mins.  Do not let them brown. 

Once baked dust extravagantly with sifted icing sugar (which also serves as an excellent way of concealing any odd shaped biscuits).  They're particularly hard to resist when eaten warm!