Hungarian Kiffles Cookie Fillingnut Filling Recipes

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES

Steps:

• Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale yellow and creamy. Gradually add 2 cups flour to butter mixture until the dough is too thick for the mixer. Stir remaining 2 cups flour into the butter mixture by hand and knead until dough falls off hands easily. Roll dough into a ball, place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Stir walnuts and sugar together in a bowl. Pour milk into walnut mixture and stir to form a paste.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll to desired thickness. Cut dough into 2-inch squares. Place about 1 teaspoon walnut filling in the center of each square. Roll the dough from 1 corner to the other corner around the walnut filling and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

APRICOT KOLACHES

Steps:

• Place dried apricots in a small saucepan and pour in just enough water to cover the apricots. Boil until the apricots are soft. Do not let all the water evaporate. Add a little bit more to keep the filling from burning.
• Add the sugar and continue to cook until thick.
• Either puree in a food processor or with an immersion blender in a bowl. If the filling is too runny, return it to the sauce pot to continue to cook.
• You can make the filling ahead of time and freeze it until you are ready to use it. Just thaw at room temperature when you are ready to use.
• Sift flour and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Beat the cream cheese and butter together with a stand mixer or a hand mixer until completely incorporated and creamy (3-5 minutes).
• Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the flour. I used 5 additions and completely mixed in the flour each time. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and flatten each to ¾" thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until hard, at least 2 hours.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375F. Move the oven rack one setting higher than the center.
• Take one of the disks of dough from the refrigerator and lightly flour both sides. Spread granulated sugar on your pastry board or work surface. Place the dough on top and roll out pastry to 1/16" to 1/8" thick. Most recipes say 1/8" but my Husband remembered them being thinner.
• With a pastry wheel or sharp knife, trim the dough into a square and then cut the square into 16 smaller squares. My dough never rolled out into a perfect circle so I would just cut as many 1 1/2 " squares a possible, saving the scraps for later.
• Place a dollop of filling into the center of each square. I used ½ teaspoon to ¾ teaspoon for each.
• Gently grab two opposite corners and fold one over the other, gently pressing down to try and seal them together. Gently move it to a parchment covered baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining squares.
• Sprinkle the middles of the kolaches with just a touch of granulated sugar.
• Placing the kolaches no closer than 1" apart.
• Bake 12-14 minutes or until the bottom edges are a golden and you can smell them. Let cool slightly on the pan on a wire rack and then move them gently to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat with all remaining dough. Refrigerate and re-roll your scraps. Amazing.

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES COOKIES/DATE NUT FILLING

Steps:

• 1. Combine dates with sugar and water. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly (about 5 minutes).
• 2. Add 1/2 cup nuts and mix well.
• 3. ***Add a little more water to filling if needed, to make a soft paste consistency.

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES (COOKIES)

Steps:

• NUT FILLING * * NUT FILLING: Combine 1 pound ground walnuts with 1/2 cup sugar; add 2 to 3 beaten egg whites, just enough to hold nuts together. Reserve..... PREPARE COOKIES; Mix flour, salt and sugar together; add butter and mix like pie dough. Add egg yokes and sour cream mixture; mix well. Shape dough like a meatloaf; wrap and refrigerate overnight... The next day, working with small sections of the dough (keep rest cold), roll out as thinly as possible, at least 1/8 inch; use a mixture of powdered confectioners sugar and flour on surface. Cut out diamond shapes, 2 to 3 inches square. TO ASSEMBLE; Place a scant teaspoon of filling on center of each diamond; roll from one corner to another corner; shape into crescent. Bake on top rack of oven at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned; WATCH them carefully...

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES COOKIE FILLING/NUT FILLING

Steps:

• 1. Heat on stove until mixture thickens a little and is heated throughout. It is really done once it thickens up. **If mixture is too thick, add small amounts of milk to make mixture into a wet stiff paste consistency.