Browned-Butter Vanilla Cookies

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Put eight ounces of the butter in a heavy saucepan. Allow the remainder to soften at room temperature. Split the vanilla beans, scrape the seeds into the butter in the pan and then add the pods.

2. Step 2

   Put the pan over medium-high heat and cook for about five minutes, until the foam subsides and the butter stops bubbling and gives off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer this mixture to a large, cool bowl and whisk for a few moments to prevent further cooking.

3. Step 3

   Remove the pods and measure the still-warm butter. Add enough of the reserved butter to make the total equal one cup. Whisk to combine, cool to room temperature, cover tightly and chill until firm. Butter may be prepared several days in advance, if desired.

4. Step 4

   Remove the butter from the refrigerator and let warm until malleable. Put it in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar, egg yolk and then, with as few strokes as possible, the flour. Add the nutmeats, if desired. Wrap and chill the dough.

5. Step 5

   Divide the dough into quarters and work with one quarter at a time, keeping the others refrigerated. Lightly flour a work surface and on it flatten a piece of dough to a rectangle about one-half-inch thick. Fold it in half and compress it into a log roughly one-and-a-half inches thick. Press to be sure there are no air bubbles, trying not to overwork the dough. If it seems to be getting greasy, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze. Repeat with the remaining quarters.

6. Step 6

   Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Slice the frozen dough into cookies a bit more than one-half-inch thick (thinner ones will crumble) and place them one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the surfaces look dull and the cookies are very lightly browned. Allow them to cool on the sheet for three minutes, then carefully transfer to racks.