Walnut Icebox Kipfels Recipes

VANILLEKIPFERL (AUSTRIAN VANILLA CRESCENT COOKIES)

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until thoroughly combined. Unless you're using the egg yolks the dough will be pretty dry and flaky, like shortbread cookie dough. Shape the dough into a log and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut off small pieces of the dough and shape them into crescents. Place the crescents onto a non-stick or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of the crescents) or until the edges begin to turn golden.
• Combine the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Let the cookies sit for one minute and then use a sifter to dust them with the vanilla-powdered sugar while they're still hot. Let the cookies cool completely and then give them a second dusting.
• Stored in an airtight container in a cool place, these cookies will keep for several weeks.

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until very smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing just until combined. The dough will be quite moist, but not sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten into a square approximately 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 4 equal pieces and wrap each separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, a minimum of 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a liberally floured surface.
• Dust the top of the dough with flour and cover with a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Working from the center toward the corners, roll the dough out to a 1/8-inch-thick square. It should measure about 9 inches.
• For best results, see our recipe notes below to learn how to roll your dough into a perfect square.
• Using a pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut your dough both lengthwise and crosswise into small squares.
• Your total yield will depend on how large you make them. We recommend 1-1/2-inches which will give you 36 kiffles per square of dough or about 12 dozen total.
• The best way to keep the size even is to use a ruler and mark all 4 sides of the dough square at intervals with the tip of a knife. You can use the handle of a spatula to guide you as you cut to keep your lines straight as well (similar to drawing straight lines on a sheet of paper).
• Working as quickly as possible, place a small mound of filling (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) in the center of each square. If the filling flavor you're using is relatively smooth you can spoon it into a small freezer bag, snip off a tiny bottom corner and squeeze the filling onto the squares. This works particularly well with the poppy and almond flavors.
• Lift two opposite corners of the dough over the filling and gently pinch them together. Fold that "point" over to one side, moisten the tip of your finger with a bit of water and smooth it down gently on one side of the kiffle. This prevent the kiffles from popping open as they bake.
• Important Note: The various filling flavors spread a bit differently during baking so you may want to fill a few "test" kiffles and bake them to gauge the right amount of filling for each type.
• Arrange the kiffles 1 inch apart on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until barely golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer the kiffles to cooling racks.
• Repeat the process with the remaining 3 portions of dough, using different filling flavors if desired.
• Store kiffles between layers of waxed paper in a tightly closed container and refrigerate. Bring them to room temperature (30 minutes out of the fridge), arrange on a plate and dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. It's not advisable to top them with powdered sugar before storing.
• Makes 8 to 12 dozen

GERMAN KIPFELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put flour on counter.
• Make hole in the middle to put other ingredients.
• Add yeast, water, salt, vanilla, sugar, eggs, baking powder and butter to middle of flour.
• Knead dough until all ingredients are mixed. (Alternatively, use Kitchenaid with paddle blade to combine ingredients. First cream together butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla; whisk together dry ingredients and add to wet alternating with water.).
• Roll a fourth of the dough out on to the counter to 1/8" thickiness (Make sure the dough is rolled very thin).
• Cut dough into 3x3 inch squares using a pizza cutter.
• Put 5 chocolate chips in the middle.
• Roll dough from corner. Cookie should look like a crescent roll. Make sure to pinch the dough together so they don't unroll when cooking.
• Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
• Let cool for ~10 minutes.
• Roll in powdered sugar using a zip lock bag.
• Put cookies in container/ziplock and store in the freezer for best taste.

MAPLE-WALNUT ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Add the walnuts to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool. Once cool, finely chop and store in an airtight container until ready to use.
• Meanwhile, beat the mascarpone, sugar, maple syrup, maple extract, vanilla and salt together in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-low speed until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the heavy cream, then increase the speed to medium-high. Continue to beat until fluffy and thick enough to hold stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.
• Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform cake pan with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking up some of them to fill in any gaps. You will need 2 to 3 graham crackers per layer. Spread about 3/4 cup of the maple whipped cream evenly over the top of the crackers, making sure to go all the way to the edges. Repeat until all the crackers and whipped cream have been used, ending with a layer of whipped cream. Use a small offset spatula to create a decorative swirl on top.
• Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cookies have softened and the cake is chilled through, at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Gently run a small offset spatula or paring knife around the edge of the cake, then unlock the pan and remove the outer ring. Coat the sides of the cake with the chopped walnuts. Slice into wedges and serve.

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES

Steps:

• Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale yellow and creamy. Gradually add 2 cups flour to butter mixture until the dough is too thick for the mixer. Stir remaining 2 cups flour into the butter mixture by hand and knead until dough falls off hands easily. Roll dough into a ball, place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Stir walnuts and sugar together in a bowl. Pour milk into walnut mixture and stir to form a paste.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll to desired thickness. Cut dough into 2-inch squares. Place about 1 teaspoon walnut filling in the center of each square. Roll the dough from 1 corner to the other corner around the walnut filling and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

WALNUT ICEBOX KIPFELS

Steps:

• MAKE THE DOUGH - NIGHT BEFORE.
• Mix milk, sugar and yeast. Let stand until it rises and thickens.
• Cut butter into 2 1/4 cups flour with mixer or pastry blender.
• Make well and add egg yolks and yeast mixture.
• Mix well and knead on floured board until smooth and not sticky.
• Divide dough evenly into 6 balls. Place in floured 9 x 12 pan, cover and refrigerate overnight. They should increase slightly in size.
• MAKE THE NUT FILLING - NIGHT BEFORE.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff.
• Add the nuts, 3/4 cups sugar and lemon juice. Mix well.
• Press the nut filling into a square pan, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• GETTING READY - NEXT DAY.
• Take the dough balls out of the refrigerator at least 4 hours before you will begin rolling them out.
• Take the nut filling out just before rolling the dough out. Cut the nut filling into 48 portions (6 x 8 rows) like you are cutting up bar cookies.
• Mix together remaining 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons flour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sprinkle work surface liberally with sugar/flour mixture to prevent dough from sticking.
• Roll one dough out to 10 inch circle.
• Using pizza cutter or knife, cut each circle into 8 slices (like a pizza).
• Put one nut portion at the large end of a slice; roll from large end to point, tucking in sides, forming a crescent. Trt to keep them pinched close so the filling doesn't leak out during baking.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet with point on bottom. You can probably fit at least 16 cookies per tray.
• Continue until all dough is rolled and filled using plenty of sugar/flour mixture to prevent sticking.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until dough is golden. Remove from oven and remove cookies from tray immediately to prevent sticking. Cool on wire rack.

KIPFEL

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar.
• Make a well in the center.
• Combine egg yolks and sour cream; add to flour mixture and stir until mixture forms a ball.
• Divide dough in half, and keep one half of the dough tightly covered.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the other half of dough to 1/16" thickness, and cut into 4" rounds.
• For filling, beat egg whites slightly.
• Add ground nuts, the 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice& the 3/4 tsp cinnamon.
• Spread a rounded teaspoon of filling onto each round to within 1/4" of edge.
• Roll up jelly-roll style; with seam sides down, press ends with tines of a fork to seal.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheets with seam sides down.
• Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
• Sprinkle with a mixture of powdered sugar& cinnamon.