Mürbchen

A simple and tasty German cookie or biscuit.  In order to achieve the intense yellow colour, the egg yolks are mixed with a pinch of salt and set aside covered for about an hour before they are added into the dough mixture.  Before baking, the cookies are brushed with egg yolk twice i.e. they are left to dry for about 5 to 10 minutes before the second egg yolk brush.

Ingredients (yields about 60 pieces):
2 egg yolks
a pinch of salt

300 g plain flour
mark from half of a vanilla pod or 8 g vanilla sugar
150 g cold butter, to be cut into cubes
150 g fine sugar

2 egg yolks (for brushing)

Method:

In a small bowl, mix 2 egg yolks and a pinch of salt together.  Cover bowl with cling film and leave aside for about an hour.

In a mixing bowl, add the egg yolk mixture, plain flour, vanilla mark, cold butter and sugar.  By using the kneading hook, knead mixture to a pliable dough.  Wrap dough in cling film and store in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on a well-floured work top to a thickness of 0.5 cm.  By using different shapes of cookie cutters, cut out preferred shapes.  Arrange on a baking tray which is lined with baking paper. Brush dough shapes with beaten egg yolk and leave aside for about 5 or 10 minutes.  Then, brush again with egg yolk.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at a temperature of 160° C for about 15 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven and store between pergament paper in an airtight tin.

Happy Baking!