Viennese Fingers

I do not know where this name comes from, these cookies look nothing like fingers. Then again I've never been to Vienna, so I have no frame of reference. For all I know this is an accurate representation.

Viennese Fingers

I got this recipe from a baking book. This is my first time making shaped piped cookies. Aesthetically, the results were mixed. I've altered the instructions slightly to help anyone else avoid 'the spread', which plagued this particular batch (although they still tasted very good). I also left these in the oven for a couple of minutes too long, so this was not my most successful bake. I'll make them again.

Ingredients:

100g butter at room temperature

1/3 cups (40g) icing/confectioners sugar

2 egg yolks at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup (125g) plain flour

100g dark cooking chocolate, chopped

30g butter extra

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F

Line a baking sheet with foil and baking paper

Cream the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy

Gradually add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat thoroughly

These pictures show the process of beating the butter, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. It is important to scrape down the sides of the bowl

Sift in the flour, and mix using a knife until the mixture is just smooth

It mixes more easily than you might think

Load mixture into a piping bag with a large fluted nozzle

Like so

These pictures show the nozzle I used and the process of loading the piping bag

Pipe the mixture into wavy 6cm lengths, leaving some space

Look how pretty

BAt this point, chill the cookies for 30 minutes to combat 'the spread'

I clearly did not do this, and I paid dearly

Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown

Clearly I left these in the oven about 2 minutes too long

Cool slightly on trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

I did not get around to covering these in chocolate, that is a task for another day.