Recipe: Finnish Christmas Cookies with Prune Filling and Finnish Almond Cookies

FINLAND - CHRISTMAS COOKIES

2 cups butter
4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
3/4 cup ice water
1 tablespoon almond extract

---prune filling---
1 lb. prunes -- cooked
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cream 1 cup butter. Add flour and salt and mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Dissolve soda in water and stir into flour mixture. Blend in almond extract. Cover dough and chill thoroughly. Roll out on a lightly floured surface in a rectangular shape about 1/8 inch thick. Spread half of dough with 1/2 cup soft butter, fold over and chill in refrigerator 15 minutes.

Repeat rolling, spreading and folding process. Divide dough in half and roll each portion 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares and make 1 inch diagonal cuts toward center from each corner.

Place 1 teaspoon of prune filling in center of each square. Bring alternate corners together in center, forming pinwheels. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets in hot oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

PRUNE FILLING: Remove pits from prunes (or use pitted) and mash to a pulp. Add sugar and lemon juice.

Finnish Almond Cookies
Serving Size : 30

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Butter Or Margarine,softened
1 Tsp Almond Extract
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tbl Sugar
1 Egg, Separated
2/3 Cup Sliced Blanched Almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Into large bowl, measure flour, butter or margarine, almond extract, 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolk. With hands, knead ingredients until well-blended and mixture holds together. (Mixture will appear dry at first -- if too dry, add about 1 tablespoon of water while kneading.)

On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll half of dough into a 10" x 9" rectangle. With pastry brush, brush dough with half of egg white; sprinkle half of almonds and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cut dough into 15 3" x 2" rectangles. WIth pancake turner, place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 - 12 minutes until lightly browned. With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire rack to cool.

Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered container to use up within 2 weeks.

Ana