Vanilla shortbread

Place the cinnamon stick in a food processor and grind into a fine powder. Add the caster sugar to the mixer and blend again

Score down the vanilla pod and remove the seeds. Add both the pod and the seeds to the sugar mix and store until ready to use

For the shortbread, sift the flour into the icing sugar, add the salt and mix together. Mix in the softened butter and add the beaten egg yolk. Roll out the mix onto a floured surface until 1/2cm thick

Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Cut the shortbread into 8cm by 3cm rectangular fingers and place in the oven. Cook until browned at the edges, or 10 minutes approximately

Remove the shortbread from the oven and allow to briefly cool on the cooling rack. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and serve