Date and almond poppy pastries - country living

2 dozen past

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
⅓ cup Sugar
¼ cup Water
1⅔ cup Ground poppy seeds (see Note)
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
2¼ cup Unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
⅓ cup Butter or margarine, softened
⅓ cup Sugar
1 large Egg
1 tablespoon Water
2 larges Egg whites
½ cup Chopped pitted dates
½ cup Sliced natural almonds, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Finely grated orange rind
1 large Egg yolk
2 tablespoons Orange juice
1½ teaspoon Finely grated orange rind
½ teaspoon Almond extract
Additional poppy seeds (opt.)
Additional sliced natural almonds (opt.)

Directions

POPPY FILLING

PASTRY DOUGH

1. Prepare Poppy Filling: In 1-quart saucepan, heat sugar and water to boiling. Remove from heat and stir in poppy seeds and vanilla. Cool poppy mixture 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, with wire whisk, beat egg whites until frothy. Stir into poppy mixture. Fold in dates, and refrigerate filling until ready to use.

2. Prepare Pastry Dough: In medium bowl, combine 2 C flour, the baking powder, and salt. In large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Separate the egg, adding egg yolk to butter mixture and placing egg white and the water in cup or small bowl. Beat egg white and water until well mixed; cover and refrigerate. Add remaining egg yolk, the orange juice and rind, and almond extract to butter mixture; beat until well mixed.

3. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture. With spoon, stir in enough of remaining ¼ C flour until mixture is firm enough to shape into a ball. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead a few times until smooth. Wrap and refrigerate pastry dough at least 1 hour or overnight.

4. Divide pastry dough in half. Between 2 floured sheets of waxed paper, roll one half of the dough into a 12-inch square. Remove top sheet of paper. With a knife, cut square into twelve 4 by 3-inch rectangles. Spoon scant 1 T filling in center of each rectangle.

Spread filling to within 1 inch of the long edges and ½ inch of short edges of rectangle.

5. Bring long edges of rectangle up over filling so that they overlap in center and enclose filling; press gently to seal. Turn pastry over so that seam side is down and turn ends under to form a sealed package. Place pastries, seam side down and 1½ inches apart, on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining half of pastry dough.

6. Heat oven to 400'F. With tip of knife, make 4 angled (45-degree) cuts, ½ inch apart and ½ inch deep along one long side of each pastry. Bend pastries into a curve to open up cuts. Brush tops with reserved egg-white mixture; sprinkle with poppy seeds and garnish with almond slices, if desired. 7. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until firm and golden. Cool pastries on wire rack. Store in airtight container.

Note: You can grind whole poppy seeds using a small food processor, grain grinder, or coffee mill.

Country Living/November/1994 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg>

Related recipes