How to make
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one by one, the vanilla sugar and keep beating to a smooth consistency.
Add the orange zest and the juice of one orange. Then add the crushed almonds.
Gradually sift the flour in the mixture and knead to create a medium soft dough.
Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for two hours.
Divide the cool dough to two pieces, and roll each piece to create a rope 3 cm in diameter. Cut it in small pieces around 2 cm long and form small balls out of each piece. The balls should be the size of a small walnut. Roll the balls in powdered sugar and arrange in a baking tray, with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 360°F (180 degrees) and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the balls are slightly toasted.
Grate the zest of one orange to create long stripes. Heat in a small sauce pan 1/4 cup of water with 2 tbsp. of sugar. Add the zest and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
After the balls have cooled down, place 2-3 syrupy zest stripes on each ball.
Let them dry for a while and sprinkle with some powdered sugar to create a snowy effect.
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