If you’re a fan of rugelach, the beloved Jewish pastry, you’ll definitely enjoy this recipe for kolachkes with tamarind-pear butter and candied walnuts from pastry chef Caroline Wilson. Originating from Central Europe, the cookies include a spoonful of fruit enveloped by pillowy, buttery dough. The candied walnuts give them a nice crunch — good stuff for texture nerds — and best of all, these can freeze for months.
Kolachkes
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces butter
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup water + 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 1 pound pears (peeled, cored, and chopped)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon egg whites
Directions
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter.
- Add the flour, sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat together just to combine.
- Wrap in plastic and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days in advance.
- First, heat the water and tamarind paste together and steep for 20 minutes. Strain into a clean pot.
- Add the pears, spices, salt and brown sugar.
- Cook together for 30 minutes or so until the pears are tender, and the mixture has thickened.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise.
- You can keep the pear butter slightly chunky, or puree in a Cuisinart or blender, depending on your preference.
- Mix the walnuts with the powdered sugar, sea salt, and egg whites in a bowl. Set aside.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inches in thickness.
- Cut the dough into roughly 2 inch squares.
- Put about a teaspoon of pear butter into the center of each square, and then bring together 2 opposite corners of dough to seal at the top.
- Place the shaped cookie onto a sheet pan lined with parchment.
- Liberally sprinkle the walnut mixture on top of the cookies.
- Repeat until all dough is converted into cookies on the pan. Freeze for baking later, or head straight to the oven. (Chef's note: if the dough seems to warm up a lot in your shaping process, it is helpful to chill the cookies for 15 minutes or so before baking.)
- Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking.