Tayglach Recipes

BESSIE'S TAGLICH (OR TAYGLACH)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Cover baking sheet with foil, shiny side up, and coat with vegetable spray (or, you may use a silicone liner instead).
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Place oil and sugar in mixing bowl and combine until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients in thirds. Batter will begin to form dough. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
• To make filling, combine raisins, jam, walnuts, and coconut in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Roll chilled dough on floured wax or parchment paper to less than 3/16-inch thick. Cut in 2 and 3/4-inch circles using a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon filling horizontally in the center of each circle. With floured hands, roll dough circles toward you, making neat little packages. Using the palm of your hand, roll each package toward you 2 or 3 times until it resembles something between a rugelach or a mini egg roll.
• Place on baking sheet and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until warm brown in color.
• Cool on baking sheet on a rack.
• To dip each cookie in honey, first coat a cooling rack with vegetable spray and place it on top of a foil-covered baking sheet.
• Place honey in heavy metal saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat so honey is at a low boil.
• Dip taglich, two at a time, into honey. Lift out with tongs and place on the prepared cooling rack.

TAYGLACH

Steps:

• Make a well of flour,salt and 1 tbsp sugar in a large bowl.
• Add oil and eggs and mix very well with wooden spoon.
• Dough will be quite elastic.
• Pinch off large egg-size pieces.
• Roll these between your hands (lightly flour if needed) until you have a piece as long as a drinking straw.
• Place on floured board and roll flat so it is~ 1 inch wide.
• Cut into 1 inch pieces.
• Place one almond and two raisins on each piece.
• Roll into a ball making sure that it is sealed completely.
• Set aside.
• In large pot bring honey,sugar and ginger to a boil.
• Drop the pieces in and reduce heat to medium.
• Cook for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Stir with wooden spoon as needed.
• Adjust your heat to maintain a slow rolling boil.
• Remove pieces from honey with slotted spoon and set aside.
• Turn heat to low, add hot water and cook down.
• Stir frequently.
• When mixture is 1/4 gone, remove from heat and return pieces to honey to coat again.
• Remove with slotted spoon to cookie sheet or flat platter to cool.
• At this time,you could sprinkle with crushed almonds (leftovers).
• The wine is for your raisins, if you wish, to plump them.
• Make sure they are drained and patted dry before using.
• If you don't use the wine this way, you can do what I do and drink it!
• The finished tayglach will be sticky and remain this way, as it should.
• You can store them in an air-tight container and they will keep nicely for several weeks.
• If you are creative, you can make a pyramid of them, sticking cut red and green candied cherries among them.

CECIARCHIATA TAIGLACH

Steps:

• Put the eggs, flour, and salt in a bowl and stir to make a soft dough. Turn out on a floured working surface and knead the dough 1-2 minutes. Shape it into a ball, flatten it with your hands, and sprinkle it lightly with flour.
• Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. With a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips and dredge these long strips in flour. Then cut them into chickpea-size bits, and again dredge with flour to prevent them from sticking to each other. Scoop up the bits in a large sifter to remove the excess flour.
• Heat the oil in a small saucepan or wok and fry a handful of the bits at a time until lightly golden, stirring so they are an even color. Drain on paper towels and cool. You can also bake them, one third at a time, on an ungreased cookie sheet on the middle rack of a preheated 400° oven for 7 minutes.
• Bring the honey to a boil in a 6-cup heavy casserole and simmer over moderately high heat for 3 minutes. Add all the dough balls, the toasted and chopped hazelnuts, and the lemon peel and juice; cook over lower heat 7 minutes.
• Bring the honey to a boil in a 6-cup heavy casserole and simmer over moderately high heat for 3 minutes. Add all the dough balls, the toasted and chopped hazelnuts, and the lemon peel and juice; cook over lower heat 7 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
• Spread the toasted almonds over an oiled round serving platter and pour the hot mixture on top. Let it settle for a few minutes. When the mixture is cool enough to be handled, shape it into a circle with the help of a spoon and your moistened hands. Let it cool thoroughly at room temperature. It will harden a little. Either break off pieces with your fingers or cut into 2-inch segments.