Hello, foodies…
We started the month with Pizzelles, then we washed those down with some decadent Mexican Hot Chocolate, and this Sunday on In the Kitchen with David, we’re back to cookies! I was trying wait another week before I baked any at home, but right this very minute my kitchen smells like a bakery and I LOVE IT! Is cookie baking on your calendar this weekend? Or maybe next? Be sure to browse my dessert recipes on QVC.com for some ideas. And, this Sunday join us for a new recipe: Vanilla Kifli Cookies. These are a favorite in Hungary, the next country we’re highlighting during “Christmas Around the World” month. Lucky for you, I’ve got the recipe ready today—with photos to boot!
Vanilla Kifli Cookies
Makes 20 cookies
This recipe is prepared using the KitchenAid 6-Quart 575 Watt Glass Bowl Lift Stand Mixer with Flex Edge & 3 Accessories (K39831).
Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.
Ingredients:
Sugar Coating:
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 Tbsp sugar
Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
Cookies:
1 cup, plus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 oz blanched almonds
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
1/3 cup, plus 1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg yolk
Directions:
To prepare the sugar coating, place both sugars and the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the seeds are distributed throughout the sugar. Pour the mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
To prepare the cookies, place the flour, almonds, and salt in the same food processor bowl. Pulse until the almonds are finely chopped, then set the mixture aside.
Mix the butter, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fully combined, just as pictured above. Add the egg yolk to the bowl and mix until creamy. Add the flour-almond mixture and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
Form a disc with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 90 minutes.
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the fridge, and with your hands, roll the dough into 1/2"W x 3"L logs, making sure that the ends of the logs are slightly tapered, then curve the dough slightly to form a crescent shape. Place the crescents onto the prepared cookie sheet, about 1" apart.
Bake the cookies for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 7 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and place it onto a wire rack. Let the cookies sit for 3–4 minutes, then gently toss each one into the vanilla-sugar mixture until completely coated on all sides. Let the cookies cool before serving.
Foodies, these are kind of like butter cookies with that crisp bite and smooth flavor. The sugary coating and vanilla flavor makes them downright addictive. Maybe I’ll be nice and make a batch of these for my In the Kitchen with David team. And, maybe I’ll freeze a few for Santa…
So these cookies are a Hungarian specialty. And, wouldn’t you know our team has connections in that country, too! Kaitlin, our ITKWD copywriting intern has a dear friend from college who spent some time in Hungary. Kaitlin asked Lauren to lend us her insight on Christmastime in the pretty country, and not only did we get it, but we got pictures!
Kaitlin: Where did you live in Hungary? What are your memories of Christmas?
Lauren: After college graduation, I packed up and moved to Hungary to teach English. I spent the next year completely immersed in the culture of a town called Salgotarjan (SHAL-go-taar-E-an)—a small city about an hour north of Budapest. It’s near the Slovakian border, and I could actually walk to Slovakia from my apartment. Christmas was a magical time in Hungary. The city was covered in snow and there were lights and decorations everywhere.
Kaitlin: What are some of the most popular Christmas customs in Hungary?
Lauren: Starting at the beginning of December, our town square was transformed into a Christmas market, complete with a large Christmas tree and nativity scene. There were even real sheep in the nativity scene! They belonged to the town and were well taken care of. There was entertainment, socializing, and delicious hot spiced wine almost every night of the month.
Kaitlin: Is Christmas Eve just as important as Christmas Day? Is there another day in December when you prepare or celebrate?
Lauren: Most of December is dedicated to celebrating the holidays in Hungary. The most important days are the 6th, the 24th, the 25th, and the 26th (Boxing Day). On the 6th, children receive small gifts left in their shoes. On the 24th, they open presents again—but this time they’re placed under a decorated Christmas tree, and are from angels or Baby Jesus himself. The children aren’t supposed to open gifts or even walk in the room until after attending mass and having a family dinner. On the 25th, Christmas Day, and the 26th, Boxing Day, both holidays are spent enjoying traditional foods with family and friends.
Kaitlin: Does Santa exists in Hungary? What are children taught about him?
Lauren: December 6th is called Mikolas Day (day of St. Nicholas). Mikolas is a traditional St. Nick who leaves small gifts for children in their boots, which are left freshly polished on windowsills the night before. Mikolas gives surprises like candy, fruits, and toys to good children, and coal, onions, or rocks to bad children. The celebration continues throughout the day for both children and adults. I remember most of my students brought me a small treat that day.
Kaitlin: What kinds of food do families enjoy at Christmas? What was your favorite dish?
Lauren: There are two parts of the Christmas meal that I remember most vividly. Beigli—a walnut & poppy seed pastry which is rolled, then cut into slices—was the only dessert served during the holidays. Another favorite was the forralt bor—a warm wine steeped with spices (cinnamon sticks, gloves, ginger, all spice, and anise) and citrus zest, then mixed with brandy and brown sugar. These two items were at every party, every festival, and I enjoyed my fair share throughout December.
According to Katilin, Lauren serves that special wine at her holiday party every year. Rumor has it Kaitlin seems to have claimed a stake right next to the punch bowl!
I’ll leave you with another cookie-related question today, foodies…what’s the most unusual cookie recipe you make? Is it my Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies? Do you make coffee-flavored cookies? Maybe cookies with a veggie like zucchini or sweet potato? My friend Jill Bauer has a GREAT recipe for Sweet and Salty Shortbread Cookies and one of the six ingredients is potato chips.
I can’t wait to visit “Hungary” with you this Sunday and hear what you think of my Vanilla Kifli Cookie recipe. I’ll see you then at Noon ET—we’ve got a 5-hour show! It’s Holiday Shopping Weekend on QVC. Stay on the lookout for a brand-new cookbook set from talented author Anne Byrn…Cake Doctor and Dinner Doctor. Both books are just $21 and change. That’s two gifts for around $10.
Keep it flavorful!
—David
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Vanilla Kifli Cookies on Sunday. What's the Most Unusual Cookie Recipe You Make?
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