Active Time

　　1 1/2 hr

　　Total Time

　　4 hr (includes chilling)

　　Fredricka Schwanka of Terryville, Connecticut, re-created her grandmother's recipe for these pastrylike cookies. This dough is extremely tender — if at any time during the filling process it gets too soft to work with, chill it on wax paper on a large baking sheet. You will have leftover filling, which is wonderful spread on toast or an English muffin.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 5 dozen

　　

For pastry dough

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　8 oz cream cheese, softened

　　2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water for egg wash

　　

For apricot filling

1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped dried apricots (10 oz)

　　1/2 cup golden raisins

　　2/3 cup mild honey

　　1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade

　　1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

　　1 cup water

　　Garnish: confectioners sugar

　　

Special Equipment

parchment paper

　　

Make dough:

Step 1

Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl until combined.

　　

Step 2

Beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with a paddle attachment) or 6 minutes with a handheld. Reduce mixer speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix just until combined.

　　

Step 3

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.

　　

Make filling while pastry chills:

Step 4

Bring apricots, raisins, honey, marmalade, cinnamon and water to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until dried fruit is softened and mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool until warm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Chill until cold, about 2 hours.

　　

Assemble and bake cookies:

Step 5

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

　　

Step 6

Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining pieces chilled) between 2 (12-inch) sheets of well-floured wax paper with a rolling pin into a roughly 11-inch square. (If dough gets too soft, transfer dough in wax paper to a baking sheet and chill until firm.) Discard top sheet of wax paper and trim dough with a pastry wheel or sharp knife into a 10-inch square. Cut square into 4 equal strips, then cut crosswise in fourths again to form a total of 16 (2 1/2-inch) squares.

　　

Step 7

Working quickly, place 1 heaping teaspoon filling in center of each square. Brush 2 opposite corners with egg wash, then bring corners together and pinch firmly to adhere. (If dough becomes too soft, freeze it on a baking sheet for a few minutes.)

　　

Step 8

Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake until golden, 17 to 20 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough and filling on a lined cooled baking sheet.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 4 days.