Soft Farmer’s Cheese Cookies
When I was little I loved leafing through my mom’s recipe book. I recognized some recipes and some were foreign since I did not remember eating them. Back in Russia (or shall I say Soviet Union) it was quite normal to leave child home alone. It did not happen too often for me, but I remember staying home by myself as early as five or six years old. I loved it. It made me feel like an adult.
These cookies are given such a unique name, “Гусиные Лапки” (Geese Feet, pronounced gusinie lapki), because of their shape. They sure do look like tiny little webbed geese feet! The dough is based on farmer’s cheese, butter, flour and eggs. How simple is that? It comes together in minutes and can be made ahead of time, since it needs time in the refrigerator to chill.
One of those times, I was looking through that recipe book and I saw a recipe that seemed very easy. It had Farmers Cheese, butter and flour and after checking the fridge, pantry and finding all the ingredients, I decided to surprise my mom by making the cookies.
I asked my mom recently if she remembers this, but she could not recall. I, however, distinctly remember how it was my first time turning on the oven. And what an oven it was!! I had to use matches and turn on gas just the right amount. It was quite difficult and scary, but I succeeded.
Ingredients
Instructions
These cookies are given such a unique name, “Гусиные Лапки” (Geese Feet, pronounced gusinie lapki), because of their shape. They sure do look like tiny little webbed geese feet! The dough is based on farmer’s cheese, butter, flour and eggs. How simple is that? It comes together in minutes and can be made ahead of time, since it needs time in the refrigerator to chill.
One of those times, I was looking through that recipe book and I saw a recipe that seemed very easy. It had Farmers Cheese, butter and flour and after checking the fridge, pantry and finding all the ingredients, I decided to surprise my mom by making the cookies.
I asked my mom recently if she remembers this, but she could not recall. I, however, distinctly remember how it was my first time turning on the oven. And what an oven it was!! I had to use matches and turn on gas just the right amount. It was quite difficult and scary, but I succeeded.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, chilled
- 7.5 oz farmer's cheese
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 Tablespoons water, cold or chilled
- ½-1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Grate the chilled butter on a box grater.
- Add the farmer's cheese and flour. Use your hands to quickly mix the ingredients together. It will be a very dry and crumbly texture.
- Add the egg yolks and water. Mix the dough and knead on the counter until it comes together.
- Form the dough into a disc and wrap it up in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Break off part of the dough and roll out pretty thinly on a well floured surface.
- Use a biscuit cutter (about 3 inches), an overturned cup or glass (preferably with thin edges) or anything else that is round and will be able to cut through the dough and press out as much circles from the dough as possible.
- Save the scraps, scrunch them into a little ball and refrigerate until it's firm again.(Also keep the rest of the dough refrigerated when you're not using it.)
- Put the sugar into a bowl and press one side of the circle of dough into the sugar.
- Fold it in half to form a half moon shape. Press one side into the sugar again, fold it in half and press one of the sides in the sugar.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough. Place the cookies sugar side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and golden.