Karlsbad Ring Cookies

"Karlsbad Ring Cookies" are a Christmas speciality from Czech, that are often decorated in contrasting coloured candied fruits. Since my husband refuses to eat candied fruit, I had to use the sugar crystals and chopped almonds instead. They truly are melt-in-mouth delicious! The recipe is adapted from "Böhmisch Kochen Adelheid Beyreder".

• 200 g Butter
• 80 g Powdered sugar
• 4 Hard-boiled egg yolks, pressed through a sieve
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp Lemon zest, finely grated
• 300 g All-purpose flour
• 1/2 Egg
• Sugar crystals and chopped almonds to garnish

1. Cream the butter and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy. Add in sieved egg yolks, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat until well combined. Add in flour and work to a smooth cookie dough.
2. Wrap the dough with cling film and chill for an hour. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
3. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to 3mm thick. Use a 5cm-diameter waved shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and place them on the prepared trays. Now cut out the rings with a 3cm-diameter circle-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll any scraps and repeat.
4. Brush the rings with lightly beaten egg and sprinkle white sugar crystals or chopped almonds on top. Bake for about 15 minutes or until just beginning to brown around the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.