Yeast Crescents

Yeast Crescents

These are based on a recipe which won first place in the Indianapolis Star cookie contest, with some improvements I made, especially to the filling. Some people might prefer to call these "Christmas Crescents," but I see no point in calling them that, since the truth is that they are good all year round! Call them whatever you like, and make them whenever you feel like it!

Makes 40

4 cups of flour (500 g)

1 cup (2 sticks, or 250 g) of butter at room temperature

2 packages active dry yeast (20 g)

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

half cup of milk

2 eggs

Powdered sugar (approx. 1 cup)

For filling: one small jar( 300-400 g ) of apricot jam mixed with 4 ounces ( 100 g) of ground walnuts.

Pour the milk in a microwave safe bowl and heat it for 30-50 sec. The temperature should be around 100° F (37° C). If you do not have a thermometer, you can stick your finger in it - don't worry, all chefs do that! It should be warm, not hot. If it is hot, then just let it cool down. Add the yeast and a tablespoon from the flour and stir it. Let it stay in a warm place around half an hour or until it looks frothy. Add the rest of the flour, eggs, salt, and sugar. Stir it and add the butter. Now you need to knead it for at least 5 minutes. I use a stand mixer (if you don't already have one, these are well worth the investment). Let it sit in a warm place for at least half an hour. It should double in size. Divide the dough into 5 even balls. Roll each ball on a hard surface (you can put a little flour on the work surface to keep it from sticking) into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Cut circle into 8 wedges. Place half a teaspoon of filling in the center of each wedge and then spread it. Starting from the widest point, roll each wedge to form a crescent (slightly curving the sides). Bake at 350° F (180° C ) for 20-25 minutes or until light brown on the bottom. Let the cookies cool and then roll them in powdered sugar.