Moon-shaped biscuits – 4 flavors

Ingredients

• 500 g Unsalted butter (Very soft, at room temperature, ideally softened the day before)
• 4 sachets Vanilla sugar (Approximately 8 g per packet)
• 6 pcs Whole eggs (At room temperature)
• 2 verres Powdered sugar (Approximately 200 g per glass)
• 1 verre Cornstarch (Maïzena) (Approximately 120 g)
• 0.5 verre Sunflower oil (or neutral oil) (Approximately 100 ml)
• 1 sachet Baking powder (Approximately 10 g)
• 1 pincée Salt
• 1440 g Wheat flour (type 45) (Precisely weighed)
• 4 cuillères à soupe Ground pistachios (To flavor one quarter of the dough)
• 4 cuillères à soupe Sliced almonds (For the almond‑sesame quarter and for decorating the milk chocolate)
• 4 cuillères à soupe Golden sesame seeds (For the almond‑sesame quarter)
• 4 cuillères à soupe Pink praline (Finely blended, for the pink‑flavored quarter)
• 3 cuillères à soupe Unsweetened cocoa powder (For the chocolate quarter)
• 100 g White chocolate (To melt in the microwave)
• 100 g Milk chocolate (To melt in the microwave)
• 1 cuillère à café Orange blossom water (For the plain biscuit before the powdered sugar glaze)
• To taste Powdered sugar (for finishing) (Dust on the plain biscuit)

Instructions

1. Prepare the base dough

   In the large bowl, place the very soft butter, add the 4 packets of vanilla sugar and knead until you obtain a creamy consistency.

   Time: PT5M

2. Incorporate the eggs

   Add the 6 eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition to obtain a homogeneous dough.

   Time: PT5M

3. Add the dry sugars, cornstarch and oil

   Pour the 2 glasses of powdered sugar, the glass of cornstarch, then the half‑glass of sunflower oil. Mix after each addition until the mixture is smooth.

   Time: PT5M

4. Incorporate the baking powder, salt and flour

   Add the packet of baking powder, the pinch of salt, then incorporate the flour (1 440 g) gradually while mixing until you obtain a pliable but non‑sticky dough.

   Time: PT10M

5. Divide and flavor the dough

   Divide the dough into four equal parts. In each part, incorporate the flavors: ground pistachios, almond + sesame mixture, finely blended pink praline, and cocoa powder. Knead each portion until the colour is uniform.

   Time: PT8M

6. Form the balls and shape the moons

   Take portions of 20‑30 g, form balls, then flatten them slightly to obtain a moon shape. Place the biscuits on parchment paper, spacing them apart.

   Time: PT7M

7. Baking

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (fan‑assisted). Bake the biscuits 5 to 10 minutes, watching the colour: they should remain pale and slightly golden. Test doneness by breaking a biscuit; the interior should be soft and not raw.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Melt the chocolates

   Melt the white chocolate and the milk chocolate separately in the microwave (30 s, stir, repeat until smooth texture).

   Time: PT5M

9. Decorate the biscuits

   Dip the tip of the pink‑praline biscuit into the white chocolate then into the blended pink praline. Dip the cocoa biscuit into the milk chocolate and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Dip the pistachio biscuit into the white chocolate and roll in pistachio powder. Finally, dip the plain biscuit into orange blossom water then coat with powdered sugar.

   Time: PT5M

10. Cool and store

    Place the decorated biscuits on a cooling rack until the chocolate is completely set, then transfer them to an airtight container.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

150

Protein

2 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

8 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Unsalted butter: Vegetable margarine (for lactose‑free version)
• Instead of Vanilla sugar: Vanilla extract + white sugar
• Instead of Whole eggs: Organic chicken eggs, Duck eggs
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Sifted caster sugar
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maïzena): Potato starch
• Instead of Sunflower oil (or neutral oil): Canola oil, Grape seed oil
• Instead of Baking powder: Baking soda + cream of tartar
• Instead of Wheat flour (type 45): All‑purpose flour
• Instead of Ground pistachios: Almond powder
• Instead of Sliced almonds: Crushed hazelnuts
• Instead of Golden sesame seeds: Black sesame seeds
• Instead of Pink praline: Pistachio praline
• Instead of Unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch‑process cocoa powder
• Instead of White chocolate: Vegan white chocolate
• Instead of Milk chocolate: Vegan milk chocolate
• Instead of Orange blossom water: Orange blossom extract

Equipment Needed

• Large ceramic bowl or mixing bowl
• Electric mixer or hand whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Kitchen scale
• Measuring glasses
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Oven (fan‑assisted)
• Microwave
• Small saucepan or bowl for melting chocolate
• Kitchen brush (optional)
• Cooling rack (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Soften the butter completely before mixing.
• Incorporate the flour gradually to avoid a dense dough.
• Do not overbake the biscuits: they should remain soft inside.
• Melt the chocolate at low temperature to prevent burning.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high‑quality butter for a richer taste.
• Sift the cocoa and pistachio powder to avoid lumps.
• Lightly dust with powdered sugar before serving for an elegant finish.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Freezer: Up to 2 months, well wrapped individually.

Room temperature: 1‑2 days if white chocolate is not used.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for 24 h before shaping.
• Baked biscuits keep 2 days at room temperature, then refrigerated.
• Chocolate can be melted ahead and kept in a bain‑marie.