Gram'S Kifli
- Two fiillings: walnuts with dried fruits and apricot with ginger
- 1/4 cup finely ground walnuts (amount after grinding)
- 1/8 cup finely chopped dried premium cranberries
- 1/8 cup finely chopped yellow raisins
- 2 teaspoons wildflower honey
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground or milled
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- and
- 4 ounces thick apricot jam (homemade preferred)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled gingerroot
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, Meyer preferred
- The dough
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (King Arthur preferred)
- 2 cups all purpose flour (King Arthur preferred)
- 14 ounces premium unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, Meyer preferred
- 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 9 ounces sour cream or fage
- 6 ounces confectionery sugar
- dash of sea salt
- 2 egg whites, slightly beaten for wash
- @ 4 ounces confectionery sugar, to sift over cooled cookies
- Combine the ingredients for each of the two fillings, and store each one in a bowl to use later. We used a meat grinder, fastened onto the kitchen table to combine the walnuts and dried fruits together.
- Sift together the flours. Traditionally, we used only apf, but white whole wheat is a delicious addition. If necessary, you could try a gluten-free apf (Arrowhead Mills). Using a pastry cutter blend the butter and lemon zest to the flour.
- Mix in the beaten egg yolks. After these are incorporated, mix in the sour cream or fage and 6 oz. of sugar. Divide the dough into 4 balls and refrigerate until chilled (at least half an hour).
- In between parchment paper roll out the dough, one ball at a time, to a wide strip, roughly in modules of @ 2 inches. Strive for a 1/8 inch thickness, or even a bit less. Keep the rest on the dough refrigerated until you are ready to work with the next batch. Cut out 2 inch squares from the rolled dough. You should get about a dozen from each ball. If you have scraps, you can re-roll them. Refrigerate if the dough gets too sticky, with the butter melting at room temperature.
- Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each square. Taking the opposite corners overlap them and then give them a firm pinch. Brush evenly with egg whites. Continue with the rest of the dough in the same way. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-14 minutes until perfectly golden brown. Let cool.
- Sift confectionery sugar on top of the cookies and transfer to a platter. A child will feel love, while a grandmother honor.
fiillings, ground walnuts, cranberries, yellow raisins, wildflower honey, fennel seeds, orange zest, apricot, gingerroot, lemon zest, dough, whole wheat flour, flour, butter, lemon zest, egg yolks, sour cream, sugar, salt, egg whites
Taken from food52.com/recipes/8089-gram-s-kifli (may not work)