Title: Hungarian Nut Crescents
Categories: Cookies
Yield: 120 servings
Dough-
1 c Butter
1 c Shortening
6 1/4 c Flour
2 tb Yeast
1 pt Sour cream
3 Egg yolks
1 pn Salt
Filling-
1/2 lb Ground walnuts
1 1/4 c Sugar
1/4 ts Cinnamon
1 ts Vanilla
3 Egg whites; stiffly beaten
Egg wash-
1 Egg yolk
Few drops water
Extra sugar*
* for the pastry board This legacy from my Hungarian grandmother links
my children to their Old World heritage in a most pleasing way! No one can
eat only one of these rich little crescents. Make sure you let the dough
chill overnight to make it easy to work with. Editor's Note: You may want
to cut recipe in half for a smaller yield.
In a bowl, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the
mixture is crumbly. In a separate bowl, mix the yeast into sour cream, then
add egg yolks and salt. Combine with the flour mixture. Mix until smooth
and the sides of the bowl are clean. Form into a large ball and chill,
covered, overnight.
To make filling, mix walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and stiffly
beaten egg whites together in a bowl. To make egg wash mix egg yolk and few
drops of water in a small bowl.
Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle granulated sugar onto a pastry board.
Divide the dough into six portions. Work with one portion at a time,
refrigerating the dough you are not using. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch
thick and sprinkle with more sugar. Cut into 2 x 2-inch squares. Place a
bit of the nut filling along one end of the square and roll up. Form into a
crescent. Place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Paint with egg
wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.
Yield: 10 dozen. Bunny Polmer, Editor, Kitchen Bazaar Times, Rockville, MD
