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1
Put eight ounces of the butter in a heavy saucepan.
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2
Allow the remainder to soften at room temperature.
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3
Split the vanilla beans, scrape the seeds into the butter in the pan and then add the pods.
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4
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.
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5
Immediately transfer this mixture to a large, cool bowl and whisk for a few moments to prevent further cooking.
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6
Remove the pods and measure the still-warm butter.
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7
Add enough of the reserved butter to make the total equal one cup.
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8
Whisk to combine, cool to room temperature, cover tightly and chill until firm.
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9
Butter may be prepared several days in advance, if desired.
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10
Remove the butter from the refrigerator and let warm until malleable.
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11
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.
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12
Beat in the sugar, egg yolk and then, with as few strokes as possible, the flour.
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13
Add the nutmeats, if desired.
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14
Wrap and chill the dough.
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15
Divide the dough into quarters and work with one quarter at a time, keeping the others refrigerated.
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16
Lightly flour a work surface and on it flatten a piece of dough to a rectangle about one-half-inch thick.
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17
Fold it in half and compress it into a log roughly one-and-a-half inches thick.
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18
Press to be sure there are no air bubbles, trying not to overwork the dough.
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19
If it seems to be getting greasy, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so.
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20
Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze.
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21
Repeat with the remaining quarters.
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22
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
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23
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.
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24
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the surfaces look dull and the cookies are very lightly browned.
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25
Allow them to cool on the sheet for three minutes, then carefully transfer to racks.
