Kiflies Recipes

HUNGARIAN KIFLI COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and butter, cutting together with either two knives or a pastry cutter.
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine sour cream, yeast, and sugar. Mix until well combined and let sit while yeast dissolves.
• Add yeast mixture into the flour mixture along with the vanilla and egg yolks. Mix dough together by hand until it is well combined. Split dough in half and wrap up in either plastic wrap or wax paper. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight.
• Right before dough comes out of refrigerator, combine ingredients for filling. Set aside.
• On a large cutting board, sprinkle 1/3 cup flour and 1/3 cup sugar. Roll out dough into a thin circle before cutting into 8 triangles.
• Place 1 tsp of filling on each triangle and roll up starting on the wider end. Place on a lined cookie sheet with the open end down and bend the cookie a bit so it looks like a crescent. Repeat with process for all of the triangles from both things of dough.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve.

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.

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until very smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing just until combined. The dough will be quite moist, but not sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten into a square approximately 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 4 equal pieces and wrap each separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, a minimum of 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a liberally floured surface.
• Dust the top of the dough with flour and cover with a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Working from the center toward the corners, roll the dough out to a 1/8-inch-thick square. It should measure about 9 inches.
• For best results, see our recipe notes below to learn how to roll your dough into a perfect square.
• Using a pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut your dough both lengthwise and crosswise into small squares.
• Your total yield will depend on how large you make them. We recommend 1-1/2-inches which will give you 36 kiffles per square of dough or about 12 dozen total.
• The best way to keep the size even is to use a ruler and mark all 4 sides of the dough square at intervals with the tip of a knife. You can use the handle of a spatula to guide you as you cut to keep your lines straight as well (similar to drawing straight lines on a sheet of paper).
• Working as quickly as possible, place a small mound of filling (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) in the center of each square. If the filling flavor you're using is relatively smooth you can spoon it into a small freezer bag, snip off a tiny bottom corner and squeeze the filling onto the squares. This works particularly well with the poppy and almond flavors.
• Lift two opposite corners of the dough over the filling and gently pinch them together. Fold that "point" over to one side, moisten the tip of your finger with a bit of water and smooth it down gently on one side of the kiffle. This prevent the kiffles from popping open as they bake.
• Important Note: The various filling flavors spread a bit differently during baking so you may want to fill a few "test" kiffles and bake them to gauge the right amount of filling for each type.
• Arrange the kiffles 1 inch apart on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until barely golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer the kiffles to cooling racks.
• Repeat the process with the remaining 3 portions of dough, using different filling flavors if desired.
• Store kiffles between layers of waxed paper in a tightly closed container and refrigerate. Bring them to room temperature (30 minutes out of the fridge), arrange on a plate and dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. It's not advisable to top them with powdered sugar before storing.
• Makes 8 to 12 dozen

GRAM'S HUNGARIAN KIFFLE

Steps:

• 1. 1) Cream butter and cream cheese till fluffy; gradually blending in sugar.
• 2. 2) Stir together flour and salt, stir into a creamed mixture. OR...like me, you could just use a food processor for this step to form the dough.
• 3. 3) Divide in half and roll with your hands to form a "Ball" and Cover; chilling dough several hours or overnight. Be advised; the less you handle the dough the more delicate and flakier it will be when it's baked.
• 4. 4) On lightly floured surface, roll each portion into rectangles, THEN cut them down into about 2 1/2-inch squares. (There WILL be "odd triangle" sizes left. You'll USE them too! - Kiffles are a ROLLED, 'cresent-shape".)
• 5. 5) Place a dollop (about one rounded teaspoon) of filling in the center of each square.
• 6. 6) Lift up two diagonal corners of the dough to center, pinching together to seal into crescents.
• 7. 7) Preheat oven to 375°.
• 8. 8) Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet. (I'd STILL spray them with BUTTER FLAVORED PAM! - Better 'safe' than STUCK!) Bake till firm until golden brown (about 12-15 minutes).
• 9. 9) Cool on wire racks. Sift powdered sugar over slightly warm pastries.
• 10. 10) Store loosely covered in a cool dry place.

KIFFLES

Steps:

• Beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir 1/2 the flour into creamed butter mixture until incorporated; mix in remaining flour until dough is just combined. Refrigerate dough until chilled, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Stir jam and cornstarch together in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved and jam is slightly thickened.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll into 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into 3-inch circles using a cookie cutter or the rim of a coffee mug. Spoon about 1 teaspoon jam down the center of each circle. Fold dough circles in half and crimp edges together using a fork. Arrange folded dough on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

POLISH KIFFLES

Steps:

• First, prepare the dough. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat them together well with a hand mixer. Slowly add the flour in while you continue to beat the batter until it forms a soft, sticky dough. Bring the dough together into a ball in the bowl with clean hands, then cover it. Let it chill in the refrigerator for three hours. When the three hours are up, pre-heat the oven to 350 and line 2 sheet trays with silicone mats.
• Take the dough and divide it into quarters. Dust a clean work surface with a little flour and powdered sugar and roll the first quarter out until it is 1/8 inch thick. Use a 1 1/2 to 2 inch square cutter, depending on how big you want them, and cut out perfect little squares out of the rolled out dough. Be sure to cut them out as close together as possible to minimize scraps. Take the scraps and roll them out again to cut out as many more squares as possible. Lay the squares out on one of the sheet trays.
• Scoop 1/2 a teaspoon of the apricot filling into the center of the first square. Then bring two of the opposite corners together and pinch them together well. It will look like a tiny cannoli. Repeat that until all of the squares are filled and formed into the kiffles. Then repeat the process with the next quarter of dough, but use the cherry filling for the second tray. Brush all of the kiffles with the egg wash to help seal them and make them golden, then bake them for 10-12 minutes. They should be golden.
• When they are done, take them out and let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks to finish cooling. While they are still warm, dust them with more powdered sugar. Repeat the whole process with the last half of the dough, making a tray of apricot and a tray of cherry. When they are all completely cooled, store them in sealed tins where they will keep for weeks in a cool place. Enjoy giving them out and eating them for the Holidays!

KIFLIES

Steps:

• Mix flour and butter until mixture is like cornmeal.
• Beat together sour cream, egg yolks, lemon rind and sugar, add to flour mixture.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Dough will have a satiny appearance and all the dough will come off your hands. Knead at least 20 minutes. The longer you work the dough the flakier the finished product will be. Do not cheat on kneading time.
• Pinch off pieces of dough no larger than a walnut and form into balls. Place balls side by side in a cake pan. Separate layers with wax paper. This should make about 85 balls.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. (Dough balls may be frozen for up to 6 months. Freezing seems to make the dough even more tender when baked. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, not at room temperature.)
• Remove 1 dozen balls from the refrigerator at a time. If dough is too warm or too cold it is difficult to roll out. Roll each ball into a 4" circle. Circles will be tissue paper thin. Use as little flour as possible to keep dough from sticking to pastry board. It is best to make a mixture of 6 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for sprinkling the board.
• Lay rolled out circles of pastry on a large tray just barely overlapping so they will not stick together. Use waxed paper between layers. When a dozen balls have been rolled, refrigerate the tray so dough does not become too soft. If this happens kieflies will not be attractive.
• It is easier to assemble if you roll out about 36 balls, fill and bake. All the balls may be rolled at one time, but keep pastry circles refrigerated until ready to fill. Work with only as many circles as will it an one cookie sheet at a time.
• To assemble kieflies, place a semi-heaping tablespoon of filling across the middle of each circle, but not quite to the edge. Fold 1/3 of the dough over filling, overlapping about half way; fold the remaining 1/3 of the dough so it overlaps the first 1/3. Use a gentle hand when overlapping the filling so that when it bakes the filling will have room to expand. Shape the rolls into crescents, using thumbs and fingers. When forming the crescents the edges might curl up slightly. Do not try to smooth out the dough. To do so would not allow the dough to expand and become flaky.
• Always place filled kieflies on a cool, ungreased cookie sheet. Bake no more than 1 sheet at a time. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 10 to 12 minutes or only until lightly browned.
• While kieflies are still warm generously coat with confectioners' sugar by sprinkling it through a small sieve or shaker.
• Filling; Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Use a spatula to fold in ground nuts until thoroughly blended. If filling seems a bit "weepy" add about 3 crushed graham crackers.
• NOTE Kieflies will keep up to a week if kept in a cool spot. DO NOT cover tightly.
• These kieflies freeze beautifully. They will thaw at room temperature (uncovered) in about 3 hours. Freshen with confectioners' sugar when ready to serve.

KIFLE - YUGOSLAVIAN WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Put sifted flour into large mixing bowl. Mix in yeast. Cut in margarine with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
• Add egg yolks and sour cream; mix well. Form into a ball. On lightly floured board, knead until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Wrap in wax paper. Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour.
• Combine walnuts, sugar and vanilla extract. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Set aside.
• On a board sprinkled with confectioners sugar, roll each part of dough into an 8-inch circle; cut each into 8 pie-shape wedges.
• Fill wide end of each wedge with 1 tablespoon walnut filling. Roll up from wide end to point. Place on greased baking sheet, curving ends to form crescent shape.
• Bake at 375 degrees F about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Dust with confectioners sugar.