Hungarian Kiffles

Hungarian Kiffles are an Eastern European pastry cookie.  The dough is rolled out thin and spread with a fruit or nut filling before rolling.  I am using my Hungarian Grandmother’s recipe for these kiffles.

This dough is VERY easy to work with. My challenge has always been the shape that works the best to roll the kiffles. This time I used a wine glass to cut the shape into a circle and then rolled the dough into an oval shape. I have tried the “pizza slice shape” but I find I am left with too much dough. I was trying to recreate my grandmother’s kiffles which were delicate and small. So far the oval shape has come the closest.

Kiffles can be filled with raspberry, apricot, prune or nuts. I used apricot butter.

Ingredients

3 cups unsifted flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks of butter (room temperature)

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

3 egg yolks

3/4 lb Apricot Butter

Confectioners Sugar

Directions

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar and salt

In a stand mixer or by hand, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth

Add the egg yolks to the cream cheese mixture

Slowly add the flour mixture to the cream cheese mixture

Mix until combined and smooth

Divide dough into 5 balls and refrigerate overnight

When ready to roll the dough let it come almost to room temperature

Using a rolling-pin take a dough ball and roll into a circle

Cut out circles using round cookie cutter or a white wine glass like I did (perfect size)

Now take the circle and very gently roll once or twice to make an oval shape. The dough should be thin but workable.

Using 1/2 teaspoon of the filling place it in the middle of the oval and spread it around

Roll the dough length wise gently pulling the ends to lengthen the kiffle

After all the kiffles are rolled, place seamed side down on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes until lightly browned

Cool on a cooling rack

When ready to serve sprinkle  with confectioners sugar

ENJOY!