KIPFELS -A DEFINITION & A REPUBLISHED RECIPE

The following information was extracted and modified from the Burgenland Bunch newsletter. Some history and variations are included.

One German dictionary defines Kipfel as a horn shaped roll or croissant, the word stemming from Kipf or horn-shaped. There is only one Kipfel and that is the rolled one filled with ground nuts or fruit preserves and dusted with sugar. It can be rolled and cut square or bent into a crescent shape. It can also be large, medium or small and made of many types of dough using yeast or not or even excluding sour cream in the dough. What it cannot be is a "crescent" almond cookie, unfilled and made with
ground almonds or hazel nuts-this is called an "almond" crescent or "whatever" crescent, not a Kipfel. You can argue that to be correct I should call my definition a Filled Kipfel, or a "nussen-lekvar or marmalade Kipfel".

First generation Burgenland descendants experimented with their mother's recipes. Many began substituting ingredients as well as changing definitions. many ingredients familiar to our immigrants either became unavailable in the US or were changed by modern processing, i.e. it is almost impossible in some places to find ground poppy seeds, prune butter (Lekvar), proper Topfen (dry cottage cheese), lard etc.  Some of the first generation did come up with some great variations. One that I know off used Philadelphia Cream cheese in a dough (I don't have the recipe) to make almond crescents (unfilled, shaped like a
crescent and dusted with powdered sugar.) The same dough was cut in squares, filled with Lekvar and the corners folded over-very tasty but not Kipfels.

Below is the original Kipfel recipe as published in newsletter number 94, March 2001-try it and you'll be converted.

There can be no original recipes for Kipfels that use cream cheese-something not available in Austria. Philadelphia Cream Cheese is an American product exclusively although sometimes it can be found overseas.  It was probably substituted for sour cream by later generations in the US and thus became a family recipe. I don't see why you couldn't substitute equal quantities,
although a cup might be a bit much. I'd try adding enough to make a pliable dough. The following is an original recipe.

Another variation:

FILLED KIPFELS
The legend is that these were first made by a Viennese baker, following the defeat of the Turks after the first siege of Vienna. They were formed in the shape of a crescent to commemorate the end of the siege, the crescent moon being a Turkish emblem. We found it was easier not to form the crescent (tubes break if not done just right) although you can try it. Do not confuse kipfels with vanilla crescents which have no filling, the dough containing crushed almonds. These are easy to form into crescents.

Here is our favorite recipe:

Cream: 1/2 lb Butter (can be half shortening), 4 Tbsp Sugar, 3 Egg Yolks-save whites, Pinch Salt, Rind of 1 Lemon, 1 cup Sour Cream. Add: 4 cups Flour, 2 tsps. Baking Powder, 1 tsp. Baking Soda

Knead well and chill 20 minutes or longer. Make 4 balls and roll out in half confectioners' sugar and half flour (about 1/8 inch thick). Cut rolled dough into 2.5 inch wide strips. Fill center of each strip (lengthways), roll sides together and seal, cut strips into about 3 inch lengths (size you want kipfel to be). Place on cookie sheet with sealed side down (ends can be open if filling is not too moist, or pinched shut). A nice touch is to brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle lightly with sugar before baking. Traditional way is to dust with powdered sugar before serving. (Do not store with powdered sugar-it will take on moisture and pastry will get soggy). Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

Nut Filling:

1 lb. (more or less) English walnut meats (or almonds) ground with 2/3 cup sugar (use fine grind). Add enough warm milk to make moist and hold together. Spoon and form filling into center of dough strips using just enough to fill and allow bringing sides together into a tube. Some variations include adding rum or honey to the nut mixture instead of milk.

Marmalade Filling:

Use same dough as above but cut into 2.5 inch squares. Put 1/2 tsp stiff jam (apricot is nice) in center of each square. Pinch 2 opposite corners together, sealing with beaten egg white. Bake in 325 degree oven. If jam is too thin, it will run out into sheet and may burn. To thicken, cook jam over a double boiler or make a stiff filling using sugar and cooked dried apricots. You can
also fill with "Lekvar" (prune butter). Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Store in covered tin to keep from drying out. Should be soft inside, firm outside.

Another variation: (from my cousin Niki)

Last year I did a web search for recipes to compare with the recipes I have.  One of the recipes comes from a small cookbook put out by some of the Hungarians in South Bend in the 70's.  The other is from Helen Gerschoffer, and is what my father always made.  It is as follows:

8 cups flour
1lb butter
6 egg yolks
1 cake yeast
1t. salt
1 pint sour cream
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. water

Mix flour, sugar and salt. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Mix butter with flour mixture. Add sour cream to yeast mixture and this to the flour mixture.  Knead until smooth.  Rise for 30 minutes.  Roll into small balls (About 150), and refrigerate for two hours or overnight.  Roll out each ball to saucer shape, put a teaspoon of filling across middle, and roll towards you into a crescent shape. Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Cool and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.  I usually half this recipe.

Filling:

1/2 lb. or more ground walnuts
6 stiffly beaten egg whites
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 T. orange juice
Beat egg whites, add the rest of ingredients.

Last changed 4/1/2006