Klecha Cookies Recipe

Klecha Cookies

Iraqi walnuts and dates cookies

Klecha Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 Kg plain flour
750g melted unsalted butter
1 cup melted(but not liquefied) Crisco shortening
3-3 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cardamom
1 package of dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup egg wash ( 1 egg whisked with a couple drops of water and 1 drop of yellow food dye)

Ingredients for filling (1):
1kg walnuts
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 heaping tsp cardamom
1/4 rose water

Ingredients for filling (2):
1 kg dates
1kg walnuts
1 heaping tsp cardamom

Method:

In a large mixing bowl,combine dry ingredients.
Smooth the butter and Crisco together and hand mix with the dry ingredients.
Then add the water and knead the dough form into one big ball, cover in plastic wrap and a towel allowing one hour for it to rise.
After the dough rises, put small rolled balls in the cuff of your hands and stuff with the well-mixed walnut filling (1).
With leftover dough, roll flat. Also,in between two sheets of plastic wrap, roll flat filling (2), remove plastic.
Place on top of rolled out dough, then roll out and slice into date-swirled cookies, place coookies on a baking sheet with a wax paper liner.
Brush with egg wash and bake in the oven on 175c for a half hour.