Title: Apple and Nut Pockets
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 20 servings
Dough:
8 tb Unsalted butter; softened
1 1/4 c Sugar
1 lg Egg
1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 1/2 c Sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Baking soda
Filling:
2/3 c Apple butter
1 tb Lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c Finely chopped walnuts
Confectioners' sugar
For dusting
To make the dough: In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer
set at high speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the
sugar and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Beat in
the egg and vanilla. Sift the flour with the salt and baking soda.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating well after
each addition. Scrape the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and
wrap tightly. Refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to roll out, at
least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
To make the filling: Combine the apple butter, lemon juice, lemon zest,
and walnuts and mix well. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Divide the
dough into 4 portions. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one
portion of dough to 1/8 inch thickness. (If the dough crumbles, work in
your hands until malleable.) Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out
rounds of the dough. Gather up the scraps to work into the remaining
dough. Repeat the process until all the dough has been used. Place a
rounded teaspoon of the filling in the center of half of the rounds. Brush
the edges of the rounds lightly with water. Place the remaining rounds on
top of the filled cookies. Using a fork, press the edges sealed. Don't
worry if cracks appear in the surface. Transfer the cookies to ungreased
baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to
wire racks and cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before
serving. Makes about 20 large cookies. "An Edible Christmas" (A Treasury
of Recipes for the Holiday) by Irena Chalmers.
