Polish Apricot-Filled Cookies |
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Prep Time: 90 Minutes Cook Time: 150 Minutes |
Ready In: 240 Minutes Servings: 5 |
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Fredricka Schwanka of Terryville, Connecticut, re-created her grandmother's recipe for these pastrylike cookies. This dough is extremely tender if at any time during the filling process it gets too soft to work with, chill it on wax paper on a large baking sheet. You will have leftover filling, which is wonderful spread on toast or an English muffin. Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
8 oz cream cheese, softened |
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened |
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water for egg wash |
1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped dried apricots (10 oz) |
1/2 cup golden raisins |
2/3 cup mild honey |
1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade |
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon |
1 cup water |
garnish: confectioners sugar |
Directions:
1. Make dough: Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl until combined.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with a paddle attachment) or 6 minutes with a handheld. Reduce mixer speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
3. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Make filling while pastry chills: Bring apricots, raisins, honey, marmalade, cinnamon and water to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until dried fruit is softened and mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool until warm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Chill until cold, about 2 hours.
5. Assemble and bake cookies: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
6. Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining pieces chilled) between 2 (12-inch) sheets of well-floured wax paper with a rolling pin into a roughly 11-inch square. (If dough gets too soft, transfer dough in wax paper to a baking sheet and chill until firm.) Discard top sheet of wax paper and trim dough with a pastry wheel or sharp knife into a 10-inch square. Cut square into 4 equal strips, then cut crosswise in fourths again to form a total of 16 (2 1/2-inch) squares.
7. Working quickly, place 1 heaping teaspoon filling in center of each square. Brush 2 opposite corners with egg wash, then bring corners together and pinch firmly to adhere. (If dough becomes too soft, freeze it on a baking sheet for a few minutes.)
8. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake until golden, 17 to 20 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough and filling on a lined cooled baking sheet.
9. Cooks' note: Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 4 days.
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