Cigarettes Russes Recipe

100 g/4 oz caster (superfine) sugar

2 egg whites, lightly beaten
50 g/2 oz unsalted (sweet) butter. melted
50 g/2 oz plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
4 drops of vanilla essence (extract)

Method:

Whisk the sugar into the egg whites until smooth. Stir in the butter and flour and add the vanilla essence. Grease and flour a baking (cookie) sheet. Spread spoonfuls into small oblongs well apart on the sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 5-6 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven, remove one at a time from the baking sheet and place upside-down on the work surface. Quickly roll tightly round a wooden spoon handle, holding firmly with the hand until it sets. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Store in an airtight container.