Shortbread ‘moon’ biscuits (kourabiethes)

Everyone loves Yiayia Next Door’s moon biscuits! Buttery and soft and with a hint of anise from the ouzo, they're the perfect treat to serve with coffee.

Yiayia Nina would pass kourabiethes (moon biscuits) over the fence. Credit: Mark Roper

• makes

  25

• prep

  50 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 250 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 160 g (1 cup) pure icing sugar, plus extra for coating
• 1 tsp vanilla sugar
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 525 g (3 ½ cups) self-raising flour, plus extra if needed and for dusting
• 25 ml ouzo

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Grease a large baking tray.
2. Cream the butter, icing sugar and vanilla sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the egg and mix until combined, then stir in the flour. Add the ouzo and mix well, then, using your hands, knead the dough in the bowl until smooth, adding a little more flour if the dough is still sticky.
3. Lightly flour a work surface. Grab a handful of dough and press it into a 2 cm thick disc. Using a small coffee cup or 6 cm round cookie cutter, cut out half-moon shapes, then use your hands to gently flatten them to about 1 cm thick. Repeat with the remaining dough until you have 25 biscuits.
4. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then dip the biscuits in icing sugar to completely coat.
5. Serve with coffee.

Note

• Leftover moon biscuits will keep in an airtight container in the pantry for 5 days.

Recipe and image from Yiayia Next Door by Daniel & Luke Mancuso (with Yiayia) (Plum, $36.99)

Photography by Mark Roper.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.