Prune And Walnut Crecents Recipes

WALNUT OR FRUIT-FILLED CRESCENT COOKIES (ROSZKE OR ROSKY)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine flour and baking powder, and add to butter mixture, blending well. Divide dough into 3 pieces, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust work surface with equal parts granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar.
• Take one ball of dough out of refrigerator and roll it to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a non-serrated pizza or pastry wheel, cut into 3-inch squares.
• Place a rounded teaspoon of filling at one corner and roll it away from you (no need to tuck in the ends). Place seam side down on the baking sheet and shape into a crescent. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake 20 minutes or until edges are lightly brown. Cool completely and store covered. Dust with confectioners' sugar when ready to serve.
• Walnut Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over low heat just until the butter has melted. Cool before using or store covered in the refrigerator and rewarm slightly when ready to use.
• Apricot or Prune Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat and, stirring occasionally, simmer 8 minutes or until fruit is soft and liquid has been absorbed. Puree and cool. This can be made ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator for up to three months.

PRUNE PLUM AND WALNUT BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust it with 1 tablespoon of the flour.
• Toss the plums with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the brandy; set aside.
• Cream the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large bowl with 1 cup of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift the remaining 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt together and beat into the creamed butter.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until they start to foam. Do not over beat, or the cake will be tough. Add the eggs and ground walnuts to the flour and butter mixture. Mix well.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the plums on top in rings. Sprinkle with any remaining brandy-sugar syrup and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the plums) comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan and serving. Garnish with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

BEET, WALNUT AND PRUNE SALAD

Steps:

• Place the beets into a saucepan and fill with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat until tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and rub off peels. Run under cold water until cool enough to handle, then grate using the largest setting. Place in a serving bowl.
• Stir the walnuts, prunes and garlic into the beets, then mix in the mayonnaise and season to taste with salt.

PRUNE NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F and grease two loaf pans very well.
• Cream butter and sugar; add egg and blend well.
• Combine liquids together; add alternately with whole wheat flour to first mixture.
• Sift white flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
• Add with prunes and walnuts to first mixture; beat thoroughly.
• Pour into prepared pans and bake for an hour or until bread tests done.

PRUNE AND WALNUT CRECENTS

Steps:

• Make pastry dough:
• Pulse butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt, and flour in a food processor just until a dough forms. (Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough and form into 2 balls, then flatten each ball into a 6-inch disk. Chill disks, each wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Make filling:
• Pulse walnuts, prunes, sugar, cinnamon, and Sherry in food processor until nuts are finely chopped and filling forms a thick paste.
• Form and bake crescents:
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out 1 disk of dough (keep the other chilled) into a roughly 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut out rounds with floured cookie cutter. Chill scraps.
• Put 1/2 teaspoon of filling in center of 1 dough round. Brush some of egg wash halfway around pastry, near edge, then fold dough over filling, forming a half-moon shape. Pinch edges to seal. Make more crescents in same manner, rerolling scraps (but only once).
• Arrange crescents 1/2 inch apart on 2 buttered large baking sheets and lightly brush tops with egg wash. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in middle of oven until tops are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.