Kifli (hungarian Walnut Cookies)

FILLING
1 1/4 lb Shelled walnuts (about 5
Cups), ground
1 c Granulated sugar
1/2 c Milk
1 tb Almond extract

-GLAZE-
1 lg Egg, beaten
Confectioners’ sugar

Make dough: in a large bowl, place the flour and the
butter. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the
butter into the flour until the mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolks and sour cream; stir
with a fork until combined.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or
pastry cloth. Knead the dough with your hands until
it is smooth and can be shaped into a ball. If dough
is too sticky, knead in more flour. If desired, wrap
dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Make filling: in a medium-sized bowl, place the ground
walnuts, granulated sugar, milk and almond extract.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in walnut mixture until
ingredients are thoroughly combined. Prehead oven to
400F. Grease baking sheets with solid vegetable
shortening.

To shape Kifli: divide the dough into quarters; wrap
three of the quarters separately in plastic wrap and
set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the
remaining quarter of the dough to a 15″ x 12″
rectangle that is 1/8″ thick.

Using a pastry wheel, cut the rectangle of dough into
3-inch squares. Place a heaping teaspoon of the walnut
filling in the center of each square; bring one corner
of the dough over the filling to the opposite corner;
pinch edges together.

Place Kifli on baking sheets; brush with the beaten
egg. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are golden
brown. Remove from the baking sheet. Fill the bottom
of a pie place with confectioners’ sugar. Roll Kifli
in the sugar. Let cool on wire racks. Repeat steps
with the remaining three quarters of dough.