North Croatian Vanilla Cookies Vanila Kifli Recipes

VANILLA KIFLI COOKIES RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• To prepare the sugar coating, place both sugars and the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the seeds are distributed throughout the sugar. Pour the mixture into a small bowl and set aside. To prepare the cookies, place the flour, almonds, and salt in the same food processor bowl. Pulse until the almonds are finely chopped, then set the mixture aside. Mix the butter, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fully combined. Add the egg yolk to the bowl and mix until creamy. Add the flour-almond mixture and continue mixing until fully incorporated. Form a disc with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 90 minutes. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge, and with your hands, roll the dough into 1/2"W x 3"L logs, making sure that the ends of the logs are slightly tapered, then curve the dough slightly to form a crescent shape. Place the crescents onto the prepared cookie sheet, about 1" apart. Bake the cookies for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 7 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and place it onto a wire rack. Let the cookies sit for 3-4 minutes, then gently toss each one into the vanilla-sugar mixture until completely coated on all sides. Let the cookies cool before serving.

TRADITIONAL CROATIAN POVITICA

Steps:

• Combine filling ingredients except raisins in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture is fairly thick (about 30 minutes). Set aside to cool.
• In a large heated bowl, combine yeast, warm water and 1/2 tsp sugar; stir until yeast is dissolved. Set in a warm place for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter and salt. Add boiling water; stir and cool until lukewarm. Add this mixture to yeast.
• Stir in beaten eggs and add flour gradually.
• Turn out onto a floured board and knead about 5 minutes. This will be softer than bread dough. Place in a greased bowl; cover and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk.
• Method for rolling out dough: Cover a work table with a large cotton dish towel or a cloth large enough to cover the entire table. Sprinkle cloth lightly with flour all over the cloth. Put dough in center and roll out as thin as possible with a rolling pin, maintaining a square or rectangle shape.
• Spread the pulled dough evenly with the prepared filling.
• Sprinkle with raisins.
• Roll up the povitica as for a jelly roll, by lifting the cloth up on one side and letting the dough roll itself up.
• Place in a large greased baking pan, two inches deep and form it into an "S" shape. Tuck in the ends and flatten it a little. This may also be cut in half and baked in angel food cake pans or bread pans.
• Cover and let raise for 2-1/2 hours in a warm place.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 50 minutes until nicely browned.
• Cool in pan for 30 minutes then remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

VANILLA KIFLI -- A VANILLA COOKIE (HUNGARY)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter & granulated sugar, then beat in the egg yolks & vanilla extract, before gradually beating in the flour.
• Form the dough into a ball & let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• To form the crescents, roll about 1 tablespoon of the dough in the palms of your hands, continuing to roll & form a rope about 3 inches long & 1/2 inch thick. Bend the rope to form a crescent, then repeat with the remaining dough, while placing the crescents on ungreased cookie sheets about 1 inch apart.
• Bake about 10-12 minutes (Cookies will STILL be white in color.), then let them cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes to prevent breaking.
• While cookies are still warm, carefully roll each one in vanilla sugar, before letting them cool completely.
• In a double boiler, melt chocolate over low heat, & when cookies are cool, dip one tip of each cookie into the melted chocolate, then set on waxed paper to dry.