Homemade vanilla sticks

To make the vanilla bars recipe, first sift the flour into a bowl and add the salt. I find it best to sift the flour to avoid lumps and achieve a better consistency.

Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Then add the sugar and egg yolk.

Cut the vanilla pods open lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add to the bowl.

Knead all the ingredients into a smooth dough using your hands or a dough hook. I find it best to knead the dough with your hands to ensure that all the ingredients are well mixed.

Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Take the dough out of the fridge and shape it into a roll on a floured surface. Then cut into sticks about 1 cm wide.

Place the sticks on the prepared baking tray, brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on them during baking as they can burn quickly.

After baking, leave the vanilla bars to cool completely on a wire rack.