Donkey Ear Cookies
By: Eva Taylor
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 4:59pm

Ingredients




1 tablespoon quick rising yeast
1/2 cup warm water + 1 tsp sugar
600 grams (3-4 cups) flour 
240 grams (½ lb) margarine 
1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
Thick European jam
1 cup icing sugar (for dusting)

Preparation

1 Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar, allow to bubble up. 2 In an electric mixer with a dough hook, mix margarine and flour until crumbly. 3 Add yeast and enough sour cream and kneed until a shiny dough forms. 4 Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 1/2 to 1 hr (you may also do this step in the fridge if you won't be making the cookies the same day. Make sure you allow the dough to get up to room temperature if rising in the fridge). 5 Preheat oven to 350F. 6 Roll out the dough into 2mm thickness and cut with a 5-6 cm round cookie cutter. 7 Fill each round in the centre with about 1/4tsp of jam. 8 Fold each circle in half and pinch edges really really really well (this dough has a tendency to pop open like a clam!). 9 Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes (dough will be slightly golden) 10 Immediately put cookies into a large bowl with icing sugar and dust generously. 11 Remove to a wire rack and cool.

About


This recipe was handed down to me by my mother Éva Harsfai-Robinson. It is a traditional war time cookies (no eggs!) that are delicious and relatively economical as this recipe makes a lot. It is jam filled. Be sure to buy only European jam which is a lot less runny than the North American style!
Make sure you really pinch the dough closed so it won't run - but don't worry, it usually does and the jam caramelizes and is very tasty (careful not to burn, that is smelly!)