Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Apple filled cookies

Apple filled cookies

My dear friend Mark, a.k.a. “King of Desserts”, posted an embarrassing story on his blog the other day – he even got some bruises from it. Poor, poor Mark. It reminded me of one of the many embarrassing days I had when I was 16.

I was taking a Teaching Course and, being on the 3rd year, our class was responsible for decorating the school for Christmas. The 30-something students were divided into smaller groups and each one would have a part of the school prepped; my group got the teachers’ room – oh, yeah, sheer luck.

One of our plans was to make centerpieces using candles and pine cones and off we went to buy the material: 3kg (6 ½ pounds) of red and white thick-as-hell candles. Boy, those were heavy. But not heavy enough to stop two teenage girls with serious plans of going out that evening from going to the mall in search of the perfect outfit.

All was well until the bag with the candles broke while I was standing at the top of the escalator; I’ll never forget those people’s “WTF??” faces, having to move away from the candles, then from me trying to catch the candles – without much success, I might add.

I was so mortified I stayed away from that mall for over a year. I wish I had these cookies to comfort me back then.

Recipe from my lovely Brazilian friend Clarice – the cookies were a lot flakier the day they were made; I took the photos 2 days later. I also used a very small cutter, so there’s not much filling in each cookie – next time I make these, I’ll use a 5cm round cutter.

Apple filled cookies

Apple filled cookies

Filling:
1 small apple, finely diced
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
ground cinnamon, to taste – believe it or not, I forgot to add it

Dough:
80g cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
150g all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 large egg yolk
iced water
1 egg white, for brushing

For sprinkling:
caster sugar and ground cinnamon

Start by making the filling: mix all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and take to the microwave oven (500W) for 3 minutes. Remove from over, stir and set aside to cool.

Now, the dough: sift flour and salt and place in a food processor, along with the butter – I used my Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment for it. Pulse a few times until mixture resembles fine meal. Add the egg yolk and a little water. Pulse again and add water until dough comes together. Transfer dough to a large piece of plastic wrap and press it to form a 1cm-thick disc. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF; line a large baking sheet with baking paper.

In a lightly floured surface, roll dough until 3mm-thick. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place a bit of filling in the middle of dough, brush edges with egg white and top with another dough shape, closing the edges so the filling won’t leek. Transfer cookies to prepared pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges – mine took a little longer to bake, 35 minutes.
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll each cookie in cinnamon sugar.

Makes 38 with a 3cm cookie cutter in the shape of a drop

Apple filled cookies

37 comments:

Katie said...

These look so good. Nice and light and flaky. Like a little pastry.

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of apple filled cookies before! They sound like mini apple turnovers/puffs. They look scrumptious, darling!

Shari said...

These look wonderful with apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon -- a little pie cookie! I've never seen a cookie like that before. I'm clipping this!
Shari@Whisk: a food blog

LyB said...

I have so many embarrassing stories, I'd have to start a whole other blog to catalog them! Those cookies sound very comforting, and they do look like little apple turnovers, so cute!

Oh for the love of food! said...

These apple filled cookies look really adorable, Patricia, and I love your first photo. Oh... I can remember quite a few cringing moments of my own as a sixteen year old..;o)

Stella said...

Pat, these cookies are exquisite!!!

Brilynn said...

My sister once fell in a mall trying to run up the down escalator- she ended up with stitches in her knee for it!
I'm sure those cookies would have helped then too!

Manggy said...

Oh, love! Don't call me that, it's too much pressure! Maybe you should consider real pros-- like Michael Laskonis or Sunny of Big Boys Oven!! :P Well, thanks. It's flattering (and perhaps more than a bit underserved). Now I feel like I need to make dessert!

Speaking of Brilynn's story-- I once saw a woman sprint up the down escalator and made it almost to the top before realizing her mistake, so she just stopped and waited to go down. Hahaha. So you set off a candle avalanche?! Made an impromptu obstacle course for the people below? Heh heh :) I don't think that would stop me from going to a particular mall.

I agree that bigger is better for filled cookies, but there is one delicious way to work around your problem of not having enough filling-- eat some more! Yaay! :)

Nic said...

The cookies look great, love the shape, shame there's not so much filling.
I can just imagine you at the top of the escalator, I would be the one sniggering at the bottom!

Deborah said...

What a funny story - but I'm sure it wasn't so funny for you!!

These cookies sound wonderful - I love that they are filled!

Anonymous said...

Those cookies are beautiful... and a little mortification is good for our character. :-)

Mumsy said...

Definitely bookmarking this one...looks and sounds SOOOOO yummy.

VanPham said...

These cookies look great! I add the recipe to my trying queue and will tell you the result soon. Thanks for sharing!

Peter M said...

I'm relieved to hear that you didn'y hurt yourself during the process of making these cookings...may I have two plus a cartwheel from you? ;)

Coffee and Vanilla said...

Patricia, they look very cute!! :)

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

I can't imagine an embarrassment that wouldn't be forgotten with a plate of these cookies to nibble on! Lovely -- and I like the shape, too.

Y said...

What beautiful cookies. How nice of everyone to move out of the way instead of trying to help you grab the runaway candles!

Anonymous said...

These are adorable and I love the shape of them..just delightful!

Elle said...

Oh my gosh, those are adorable!

Eva said...

Hmm, just the thing for an afternoon tea break..;-)

Dharm said...

Thats a funny story! But those cookies look fantastic.

Anonymous said...

haha! great story! although it really wouldn't have been funny whilst it was happening. don't worry, embarrassing moments serve their purpose when you tell em to someone. ;) love this biscuits. how pretty ;)

Kana said...

You poor thing!
But the filled cookies look nice and flaky.

Ilva said...

I can't decide what is most beautiful, the cookies or the photos... Bravissima!

Anonymous said...

I can just imagine the shower of candles! Lol.
Those look like amazing cookies. I love the photo!

Anonymous said...

So YOU were the one who unleashed them weapons-of-mass-destruction a.k.a. Christmas candles down the escalator; I remember you. [wink]

Patricia, those delectable-looking cookies have my name written all over them. Must save this one! Thank you.

JB said...

Patricia, they almost look too good to eat.

Cynthia said...

Those moments make you feel like they are not really happening. You are there thinking and wishing that it is a bad dream.

Unknown said...

Those cookies are so lovely. I can't think of anything better than eating a plate of them!

Abitofafoodie said...

What lovely cookies - I love the shape. So pretty. I can imagine they tasted really good too.

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

Patricia - these look luscious and delicate - I would guess that even a little bit of apple filling offers a lot of flavor.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Katie, they are flaky, indeed.

Hey, beautiful! I think you'd like these!

Shari, I hope you give them a go!

LyB, share them with us! :)

Carol, teenagers can do some stupid things, can't they? :)

Stella, thank you!

Bri, poor sis! That calls for a baked treat!

Mark, I won't change anything - you may not consider yourself that, but I do and since the blog is mine... ;)
Kidding, my friend - you are talented and I want people to know that. :)

Nic, I almost cried that day. :)

Deb, now it is funny, but it wasn't back then. :)

Ann, I think you are right. :)

Lindsey, I hope you try them!

Hi, Phạm Đăng Bích Vân! Thank you for stopping by!

Pete, I did not, but it was pretty close. :S
And I have never, in my whole life, been able to do a cartwheel! :(

Margot, thank you!

Lydia, thank you, darling!

Y, I think they could not believe their eyes. lol

Cathy, thank you, sweetie!

Elle, thank you!

Eva, I agree. :)

Dharm, thank you!

Diva, now they can be transformed into funny posts for the blog. :D

Maya, thank you, darling!

Ilva, you are far too kind, sweetie, tks!

Kristen, it was a "candlefall", instead of a waterfall. :)

Marysol, you made me laugh out loud - I think my boss heard me. :)
xx

JB, thank you, darling.

Cynthia, you've said it all.

Sher, I agree!

Antonia, thank you!

Anonymous said...

Wow.. those are so lovely! Like little teardrops of goodness!

Jaime said...

those are so cool! i love anything fruit filled :)

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Ooh, they're little raindrops of goodness.

Unknown said...

the cookies look so deliciosos. I like their form.

Anonymous said...

They look perfect. I can imagine how delicious they must have been fresh out of the oven!

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