Russian Tea Biscuits are a Jewish pastry originating from Cleveland Ohio and being similar to jam filled rugelach.
Russian Tea Biscuits
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
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Russian Tea Biscuits is my recipe of the day with the blogging group Sunday Funday. We group weekly, on Sundays, to share recipes on common topics. This week we are sharing recipes for Christmas Baking. Glad you could join us!
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What are Russian Tea Biscuits?
Russian Tea Biscuits, which I am sharing today, originate out of Cleveland Ohio. The Jewish Russian community there has developed this treat. It is somewhat a cross between a rugelach and a scone.
I first sampled one of these a few years ago at Dorothy Lane Markets in Dayton Ohio and was in love. I am happy they exposed me to these wonderful pastries.
Rugelach uses dough that contains cream cheese, while these Tea Biscuits do not. Instead, the Russian Tea Biscuits are more of a short crust pastry similar to pie pastry.
And while Russian Tea Cookies are similar to Mexican Wedding Cakes rolled in powdered sugar, these are completely different.
The taste is somewhat like some filled cookies I have made before, both buttery and filled with jam and fruit. Usually these pastries are made with raspberry jam, but I chose to use Bonne Maman’s seasonal Cranberry-Cherry jam for the holidays. You can choose any jam flavor you prefer. Besides raspberry, I think apricot jam would be tasty. Or even prune butter.
To prepare, you will want to roll out the dough into a triangle, spread it with warmed runny jam, then sprinkle the tops with nuts and raisins. From there, these are rolled up like a jelly roll, pinched closed and sliced. Brushed with egg white and sprinkled with coarse crystal sugar, they are sparkling when complete. A very pretty addition to your baking tray!
Sunday Funday
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Iced Eggnog Chewy Spice Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite A Whiskered Accomplice
Krestkransjes, Dutch Christmas Cookies by Mayuri’s Jikoni
Lemon Kissed Gingerbread Bundt for An Icelandic Christmas Tradition by Culinary Cam
Russian Tea Biscuits (not cookies) by Palatable Pastime
Russian Tea Biscuits
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Russian Tea Biscuits
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Russian Tea Biscuits
Equipment
- Parchment paper, cookie sheet, food processor
Ingredients
Dough:
- 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup superfine Baker's sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup frozen butter shredded
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
Filling:
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries craisins
- 1-1/2 cups toasted walnuts finely chopped
- 1-1/2 cups cranberry-cherry jam or other flavor
Topping:
- 1 egg white
- 3/4 cup coarse crystal sugars
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
- Use the shredding blade of a food processor to shred the frozen butter like cheese.
- Add butter to flour mixture and combine.
- Add heavy cream, vanilla, eggs and yolk, mixing together without handling excessively, until it comes together in a ball.
- Divide into four pieces.
- Work with one piece as you keep the rest chilled in the refrigerator.
- Roll one piece out thinly to about 8"x9".
- Microwave the raisins with the little bit of water to soften.
- Stir those with the walnuts.
- Again, microwave the jam until it starts to be a little runny.
- Spread dough with 6 tablespoons of the jam leaving a little room at the top and bottom of the long edge., then top with half a cup of the raisin nut mix.
- Roll the dough from the long side, pinching the top edge closed (the pastry should be longer, not shorter).
- Cut the dough into eight pieces, re-crimping if necessary.
- Place seam side up on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Brush tea biscuits lightly with egg white and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Then work on the remaining three dough pieces the same way.
Notes
Nutrition
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Sue love your collection of Christmas Bakes. And now you’ve added another different one, Russian Tea Biscuits. They look so inviting with all that filling.
Sue, these sound lovely…something I would definitely demolish in one sitting! I’m excited to play around with this recipe and make it nut-free for B.O.B. Bob!
I have a pantry filled with jams that I can’t wait to try in this pastry. Thanks Sue.