Chefmom posted 03-09-99 12:00 PM
Raisin Filled Cookies
For the filling:
2 cups Raisins
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 - 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
2Tbsp Corn Starch mixed with 2-3 Tbsp cold water to
form a liquid slurry
For the dough:
3/4 cup Crisco Shortening
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 cup Sour Cream
2 tsp Baking Powder
3 cups Flour (if it is too sticky you may need 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more)
To make the dough, in a medium mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until smooth. It will still be a bit grainy.
Add the egg and egg yolk and mix until smooth. Scrape the bowl, and add the vanilla and sour cream, mix to smooth.
Scrape. Stir in the baking powder and flour. If it is still extremely sticky add about 1/2 cup more flour. It will be a
soft dough.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and wrap in plastic wrap, shape in a rectangle and press to 1/2 inch thick. This will
make the rolling more speedy. Refrigerate overnight.
I like to pop the dough into the freezer the day I'm making the filling to chill it even more. It will help in the rolling. To make the filling, place the raisins, water, and sugar in a sucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Add the nuts and continue cooking for several minutes until it begins to look a little syrupy
Mix the starch and water (You can use 2-3 Tbsp of flour in place of the starch) into a small dish. Slowly add to the
boiling mixture, and stir constantly. Like making a gravy. You may not need all of the starch/water mixture so add a
little at a time. It will become thick. Keep stirring and boiling for a minute or so to cook out the starch. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
You can make the filling the night before, and let it sit at room temp. Then just put the cookies together the next day.
On a lightly floured surface roll the dough rectangles out to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out the desired size circle. (I use a 2 1/2-inch round) I like to put the bottom circle on parchment covered sheet pans (or sprayed pans)and then place
a hardy amount of filling in the center and then pop the pan in the refigerator while rolling the tops.
You can roll the tops a hair thinner than the bottoms, so the bottoms bake the whole way through. And if you are using a nesting circle cutter, then use the next size up. Or just use the same sizea little bit bigger (this way it covers the filling a bit better).
After the tops are rolled, brush a little milk around the edges of the bottom with the filling and then place the top on.
Press the edges together with your finger. Bake at 325F, until the tops are evenly light golden brown. Keep an eye on
them though. They will take 10-15 minutes. If you use parchment, cool on the pans, but if you just sprayed the pans, then move the cookies off and cool on racks.