Kipferl, little Viennese almond croissants
Small almond shortbread crescents, rolled in vanilla sugar — the sweetness of Vienna in a miniature form that melts in the mouth.
Small almond shortbread crescents, rolled in vanilla sugar — the sweetness of Vienna in a miniature form that melts in the mouth.
They will tell you a thousand foolish things about what I eat; let them talk and instead taste these little kipferl, as we made them at home at the Hofburg. Ground almonds are mixed with flour and butter, barely worked, for too much kneading spoils everything. Fresh from the oven and still warm, they are rolled in sugar scented with vanilla — that is the whole secret. Serve them on a white cloth; I like them to keep this scent of my Austrian childhood.
- •Farine de froment — two measures (base)
- •Amandes pilées — one measure (moelleux)
- •Beurre frais — a generous portion (liant)
- •Sucre — to taste (douceur)
- •Vanille — a sliver (parfum)
Kipferl, little Viennese almond croissants
Small almond shortbread crescents, rolled in vanilla sugar — the sweetness of Vienna in a miniature form that melts in the mouth.
Why this dish? Marie Antoinette is associated, in imagination and in a part of tradition, with the arrival of Viennese pastries at the French court. The kipferl, a small Austrian crescent, evokes this bridge between Vienna and Versailles embodied by the young archduchess who became queen.
They will tell you a thousand foolish things about what I eat; let them talk and instead taste these little kipferl, as we made them at home at the Hofburg. Ground almonds are mixed with flour and butter, barely worked, for too much kneading spoils everything. Fresh from the oven and still warm, they are rolled in sugar scented with vanilla — that is the whole secret. Serve them on a white cloth; I like them to keep this scent of my Austrian childhood.
Ingredients (period version)
- Farine de froment — two measures (base)
- Amandes pilées — one measure (moelleux)
- Beurre frais — a generous portion (liant)
- Sucre — to taste (douceur)
- Vanille — a sliver (parfum)
Ingredients
- Flour — 200 g (base)
- Ground almonds — 100 g (moelleux)
- Softened butter — 140 g (liant)
- Icing sugar — 60 g + for rolling (douceur)
- Vanilla sugar — 1 packet (parfum)
- Egg yolk — 1 (liant)
Method
- With your fingertips, mix flour, ground almonds, icing sugar, and softened butter into a crumbly dough; bind with the egg yolk.
- Wrap in plastic and rest for 30 min in the fridge.
- Shape small logs and curve into crescents; place on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 170°C for about 12-15 min; they should remain pale.
- Roll the kipferl while still warm in a mixture of icing sugar and vanilla sugar.
How it was made : The crescent-shaped kipferl is attested in Central Europe long before the modern Parisian flaky croissant. At the time, bakers used fresh farm butter and loaf sugar, which had to be broken and crushed. Almond powder often replaced part of the flour in fine court pastries.
The contemporary twist : Arrange them in a half-moon on a plate, dusted like a fine snow of sugar — a little 'Trianon winter garden' presentation.
Marie-Antoinette · Charactorium
