*****Kifli (Hungarian Walnut Cookies)*****

My husband's grandmother came to the USA as a small child from Hungary and liked to keep the tradition of her homeland of making Kifli for the holidays. Everyone loved them and could not get enough of them. Unfortunately I don't know the exact recipe she used either. But this one below is really good and comes close. I hope you and your family enjoy them!

• --- DOUGH ---
• 4 3⁄4 c un-sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 c butter Or margarine
• 4 large Egg yolk, slightly beaten
• 1 c Sour cream
• ---FILLING---
• 1 1⁄4 lb Shelled walnuts (about 5
• Cups), ground
• 1 c Granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 c Milk
• 1 T Almond extract
• -----GLAZE-----
• 1 large Egg, beaten
• Confectioners sugar


Cooking Kifli (Hungarian Walnut Cookies)
1. Make dough: in a large bowl, place the flour and the butter.
2. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the egg yolks and sour cream; stir with a fork until combined.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or pastry cloth.
5. Knead the dough with your hands until it is smooth and can be shaped into a ball.
6. If dough is too sticky, knead in more flour.
7. If desired, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
8. Make filling: in a medium-sized bowl, place the ground walnuts, granulated sugar, milk and almond extract.
9. Using a wooden spoon, stir in walnut mixture until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
10. Preheat oven to 400F.
11. Grease baking sheets with solid vegetable shortening.
12. To shape Kifli: divide the dough into quarters; wrap three of the quarters separately in plastic wrap and set aside.
13. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining quarter of the dough to a 15 x 12 rectangle that is 1/8 thick.
14. Using a pastry wheel, cut the rectangle of dough into 3-inch squares.
15. Place a heaping teaspoon of the walnut filling in the center of each square; bring one corner of the dough over the filling to the opposite corner; pinch edges together.
16. Place Kifli on baking sheets; brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
17. Remove from the baking sheet.
18. Fill the bottom of a pie place with confectioners' sugar.
19. Roll Kifli in the sugar.
20. Let cool on wire racks.
21. Repeat steps with the remaining three quarters of dough.
From: McCall's Cooking School: Desserts/Cookies.