When I told my Mom I was going to make them this year she gave a little groan about what a pain they were to make. My sister did the same thing when I mentioned them to her. Nevertheless, I really wanted to have these on my cookie tray over the holidays so I decided to try my hand at them. Well, I think they may have been exaggerating a little because I really didn't find this cookies fussy at all. There are a few steps but they weren't really difficult. The original recipe (from Woman's Day December 1971) had you make the dough by hand. I decided to make mine in my Kitchen Aid to save time & the dough still baked up light & flaky.
These cookies turned out as good as I remembered, buttery, delicate & fruity. I'm so glad I wasn't dissuaded from making them.
Apricot Foldovers
3/4 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 egg yolks
2 T sugar
pinch of salt
2 c all-purpose flour
2 T very cold water
apricot preserves
1 egg beaten with 1 T water
finely chopped nuts
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, cream together the butter, egg yolks, sugar & salt. Add the flour 1/2 c at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between additions. Sprinkle the cold water on the dough & form it into 2 balls. Flatten the balls into discs, wrap them in plastic wrap & chill for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Prepare cookie sheets either by greasing them or using silicone mats.
On a lightly floured surface roll out one of the discs of dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 2 1/2-inch circles, rerolling the dough until its all used. Place 1/2 teaspoon of apricot preserves in the center of each circle (go light in the preserves or they'll just leak out). Carefully fold the dough in half over the preserves & pinch the edge to seal. Brush each cookie with the egg/water mixture & sprinkle with nuts. Repeat with the second disc of dough.
Bake for 22 - 25 minutes until light brown. Cool on a rack.
Makes 3 dozen (the recipe actually said it made 5 dozen but I got 33 cookies & my Mom says she's never gotten more than 36.)
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8 Weeks of Cookies
I just made chocolate chip cookies and my huvvy was sayinf to me why i never make any cokies with fruits, so this one i might give a try.
ReplyDeleteIf you like u can send this to chrismtmas cokkies event at susans blog http://foodblogga.blogspot.com/2008/11/announcing-eat-christmas-cookies-season.html
Those cookies look so good. I may try to do them in a gluten free version.
ReplyDeleteYumm... I love cookies with jam. They sort of look like tiny fruit pies. Is the finished cookie a sugar cookie consistency or more like a pie crust?
ReplyDeleteJen - Its sort of like a cross between the two. They aren't as delicate as a pie crust but more buttery than a sugar cookie
ReplyDeleteThey look delicious! I made 3 kinds of cookies yesterday, so I'm feeling a little cookie-d out - hopefully I'll want to make more before Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThey look so yummy. I have never seen this type of cookie, its a great idea!
ReplyDeleteMy Mom does the same thing. She did that one year with rum balls. I so wanted to make them and she totally dissuaded me. I am so glad I ignored her. I think after you have been a foodie and put together complicated recipes, then these type of recipes are a walk in the park. (Rum balls are easy but I think she said that because they take so long sitting around to really develop their flavors.)
They look delicious - I love cookies with a bit of fruit in them. You've reminded me of a recipe I have been meaning to try!
ReplyDeleteWow! The apricot foldovers look amazing. Like fortune cookies with a sweet surprise. Thanks for sharing your family recipe.
ReplyDeleteThose are great looking cookies and they sound wonderful too! My grandmother used to always make an apricot roll for Christmas day breakfast and this reminds me a lot of that. good stuff.
ReplyDeleteThey look very professional. Bet they taste good
ReplyDeleteThese look so tasty. What a great idea. I may have to add them to my list. I might try them with a different jam. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteApricot jam is one of my favourites and those cookies are making me feel all nostalgic, as I haven't made cookies with jam since I was a kid. Lovely.
ReplyDeletealthough i'm undeniably lazy, sometimes something is so good, it's worth the effort. that seems to be the case here--i'm also glad you didn't get talked out of making them. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try these with chokecherry, my current jam obsession.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting this - I used to make these cookies with my mom in the '70s. She passed away in 1991, and I've been looking for this recipe for years. Now I can make these with my kids.
ReplyDeleteI have made a similar cookie but use only 1/2 cup butter, 1 3 oz. pack of Philadelphia cream cheese and 1 cup flour. I agree that you should use 1/4 t of preserves as they do leak. I ususally triple the recipe but find they are a pain to make as the dough sticks to the beaters. I don't have a paddle for my stand mixer.
ReplyDeleteMy tip is to roll the dough out on a pastry cloth sprinkled with powdered sugar. I even put a store bought cloth wrap on my rolling pin. That way you are not incorporating any more flour into your cookies.
I am going to try the egg wash before baking. My recipe does not call for that. I also bake them on parchment paper at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
After they come out of the oven, I roll them in a bowl of cinnamon and sugar and let them cool on a rack.
If you have any suggestions for me, I would love to hear them.