These butter cookies are one of my favorite French sweets in the Vietnamese repertoire. With just a few good ingredients, you can quickly bake a batch to serve alone or with ice cream, sorbet, or fresh fruit. When Vietnamese bakers make these cookies, they don’t normally include currants in the batter because the dried fruit is not readily available in Vietnam. They top each cookie with a raisin instead. Although currants are widely sold in the United States, Vietnamese American bakers still use raisins. I prefer to stir currants into the batter to distribute their chewy sweetness, and the results are closer to the original French version.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 40 small cookies

　　4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

　　1/3 cup sugar

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　2 egg whites, lightly beaten

　　1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted

　　2 tablespoons currants tossed with 1/4 teaspoon all-purpose flour

　　

Step 1

In a bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to beat together until light and fluffy. Beat in the salt and vanilla until well mixed. Add the egg whites gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition to incorporate fully. Gently mix in the flour to create a smooth batter. Stir in the currants, distributing them evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the batter has firmed up and is easier to manipulate.

　　

Step 2

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

　　

Step 3

Use 2 demitasse spoons (or other small spoons) to shape the cookies. Scoop up about 1 teaspoon of batter with 1 spoon and slide it off with the other spoon onto the baking sheet. As you work, space the cookies about 2 inches apart. Do your best to create marble-sized mounds.

　　

Step 4

Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are brown and the centers are pale yellow. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to racks to finish cooling and crisping before serving. Store any left over cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

　　Reprinted with permission from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2006.  Photographs by Leigh Beisch. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.