White Crunch Cookies and Caramel Nut Clusters

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160 fan) | 350°F | gas 4. Melt the butter and heat until lightly browned. Put the browned butter into a mixing bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.

Add the sugar, salt and vanilla and mix until pale and creamy. Mix the flour and baking powder, add to the butter and sugar mixture and quickly knead to a smooth dough.

Take portions of dough the size of a hazelnut and form into oval balls. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and make a lengthwise cut in each with a sharp knife. Beat the egg, brush the biscuits thinly with the beaten egg and sprinkle the edges with chopped almonds.

Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 - 15 minutes, until golden brown. Take out, leave on the tray for 2 - 3 minutes and then cool on a cake rack.

Spread all the nuts out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and roast in a hot oven (middle shelf) for about 10 minutes. Take out and keep warm on the hot baking tray. Leave the oven switched on.

Melt the sugar in a pan over a low heat until caramelise to a golden colour. Stir in the butter. Add the nuts to the pan and return the baking tray to the oven to keep hot. Stir the nuts in the hot sugar mixture with a wooden spoon until they are all evenly coated.

Take the baking tray out of the oven and tip the caramelised nuts out of the pan onto the tray. Use two wet teaspoons to form the nuts into small heaps and leave on the baking parchment to set.