Kifli Food

HUNGARIAN KIFLI II

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Stir in the egg yolks and vanilla. Stir together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture a little at a time until it is fully incorporated. Divide dough into 5 parts, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.
• in a medium bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks, add sugar a little at a time while continuing to beat to stiff peaks. Fold in ground walnuts, and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch squares, place 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square and roll up from corner to corner. Place on cookie sheets and refrigerate until hardened.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Roll in confectioners' sugar when cool.

KIFLI RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Take a large bowl and add yeast, sugar, and water, stir, and let it stay for 10-15 minutes. 2. In a separate bowl, add the flour, make a hole in the middle, and fill it with milk, yogurt, eggs, oil, and salt. 3. Add the yeast mixture from step 1 to the flour mixture and mix it well. 4. Start kneading the dough (it shouldn't be too sticky nor too dry). If you want to, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook. 5. Spray some cooking spray and sprinkle some flour in your mixing bowl, move the dough there, cover it and keep it aside. 6. Make small cuts in the crust and keep it aside for 20-30 minutes. 7. Add some shredded feta cheese to a bowl and keep it aside for later. 8. Turn on your oven to 200˚C (400˚F). 9. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and fold the dough on all sides. 10. Divide the dough into half and cut both halves into three equal pieces. Fold the pieces into balls before rolling them. 11. Take the first ball and roll it out into a medium-sized circle. 12. Cut the ball into 2-3 equal pieces, add 1 tbsp of cheese in the middle of every piece, and close the first kifla by pulling together the widest parts of the dough and tucking them inwards. 13. Repeat the process as many times as needed and add some baking sheets to your pan before placing the kifli inside the oven. 14. In the meantime, mix together 1 or 2 beaten eggs and water until the mixture combines. 14. After 7-8 minutes of baking at 200˚C (400˚F) before glazing the kifli with a mix of beaten eggs and water. 15. Bake for 10 more minutes and sprinkle some sesame seeds before turning the heat off (in the end, the kifli should have a golden-brown color). 16. Serve it with some yogurt, ajvar, or a dish of your choice, and enjoy!

KIFLIES

Steps:

• Mix flour and butter until mixture is like cornmeal.
• Beat together sour cream, egg yolks, lemon rind and sugar, add to flour mixture.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Dough will have a satiny appearance and all the dough will come off your hands. Knead at least 20 minutes. The longer you work the dough the flakier the finished product will be. Do not cheat on kneading time.
• Pinch off pieces of dough no larger than a walnut and form into balls. Place balls side by side in a cake pan. Separate layers with wax paper. This should make about 85 balls.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. (Dough balls may be frozen for up to 6 months. Freezing seems to make the dough even more tender when baked. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, not at room temperature.)
• Remove 1 dozen balls from the refrigerator at a time. If dough is too warm or too cold it is difficult to roll out. Roll each ball into a 4" circle. Circles will be tissue paper thin. Use as little flour as possible to keep dough from sticking to pastry board. It is best to make a mixture of 6 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for sprinkling the board.
• Lay rolled out circles of pastry on a large tray just barely overlapping so they will not stick together. Use waxed paper between layers. When a dozen balls have been rolled, refrigerate the tray so dough does not become too soft. If this happens kieflies will not be attractive.
• It is easier to assemble if you roll out about 36 balls, fill and bake. All the balls may be rolled at one time, but keep pastry circles refrigerated until ready to fill. Work with only as many circles as will it an one cookie sheet at a time.
• To assemble kieflies, place a semi-heaping tablespoon of filling across the middle of each circle, but not quite to the edge. Fold 1/3 of the dough over filling, overlapping about half way; fold the remaining 1/3 of the dough so it overlaps the first 1/3. Use a gentle hand when overlapping the filling so that when it bakes the filling will have room to expand. Shape the rolls into crescents, using thumbs and fingers. When forming the crescents the edges might curl up slightly. Do not try to smooth out the dough. To do so would not allow the dough to expand and become flaky.
• Always place filled kieflies on a cool, ungreased cookie sheet. Bake no more than 1 sheet at a time. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 10 to 12 minutes or only until lightly browned.
• While kieflies are still warm generously coat with confectioners' sugar by sprinkling it through a small sieve or shaker.
• Filling; Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Use a spatula to fold in ground nuts until thoroughly blended. If filling seems a bit "weepy" add about 3 crushed graham crackers.
• NOTE Kieflies will keep up to a week if kept in a cool spot. DO NOT cover tightly.
• These kieflies freeze beautifully. They will thaw at room temperature (uncovered) in about 3 hours. Freshen with confectioners' sugar when ready to serve.

ROMANIAN NUT ROLL (KIFLA)

Steps:

• Mix ingredients for filling, set aside.
• In another bowl, mix yeast, milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, and vanilla together and set aside for about 10 minutes.
• In a third bowl, mix flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.
• Add eggs, salt and sour cream, then add yeast mixture, mix and knead well until dough is shiny (about 15 minutes).
• Divide into 4 balls. Roll out each ball to about 9" x 13" and spoon 1/4 of the nut filling over each.
• Starting at the narrow end, roll dough into a loaf. Pinch the ends and fold them under. With the seam side down, let loaves rise in greased pan for 2 hours.
• Brush with beaten egg and bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.

KIFLI (CRESCENT COOKIES)

Steps:

• DOUGH:
• Blend flour and butter thoroughly using a pastry blender if desired.
• Add egg yolks and yeast cake which has been dissolved in cream.
• Add sugar and vanilla.
• Chill dough if it is too soft to roll out easily.
• Divide into 2 parts and roll each into a 12-inch circle or larger. Cut into 16 or more pie-shaped pieces.
• Place a small amount of nut filling or jam on each wedge and beginning at the rounded edge, roll up.
• Place on greased baking sheet, point underneath. Let stand for 20 minutes.
• Brush top of crescents with beaten egg.
• Bake at 350°F for 15 to 18 minutes or until light brown on bottom.
• FILLING:.
• Mix all ingredients listed for filling together, mixing well.