Hungarian nut crescents

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Butter
1 cup Shortening
6¼ cup Flour
2 tablespoons Yeast
½ pounds Ground walnuts
1¼ cup Sugar
¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Egg yolk
Few drops water
1 pint Sour cream
3 Egg yolks
1 pinch Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 Egg whites, stiffly beaten
Extra sugar*

Directions

DOUGH

FILLING

EGG WASH

* 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 350ø. 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 ⅛-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 at 350ø for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Yield: 10 dozen. Bunny Polmer, Editor, Kitchen Bazaar Times, Rockville, MD

Randy Shearer

Related recipes