SHAVUOT – Orange Blossom Date-Walnut Strudel Biscuits

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 250g cultured unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 1 tsp orange blossom water
  • 2½ cups plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup pitted Medjool dates
  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • finely-grated zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes: 48

1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Combine the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 imputes, until very light. Add the egg, vanilla and orange blossom water, and mix until smooth. Fold in the flour and baking powder and mix until a smooth dough forms.
2 Combine the dates, walnuts, cinnamon and lemon zest in a food processor and purée until smooth.
3 roll the dough out to a rectangle 50cm x 12cm, then place the date mixture along the long edge and roll up, pitching the seam to enclose. Slice 2cm wide, then arrange on a lined tray and bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.