Apple-Filled Cookies

A nice and not complicated recipe for tasty stuffed cookies with a biscuity texture which can be served any time of the year

Ingredients (for 30 cookies)

For the dough:
3 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup of butter, chilled and diced
4-5 tbsp plain yoghurt
Butter for greasing
Icing sugar for dusting

For the filling:
4 large apples, peeled and roughly grated
2 tbsp of lemon juice
4 tbsp of superfine (caster) sugar
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp of ground cloves
1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg
1 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped

Method:
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the diced butter and rub it with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Lightly stir in the yoghurt and mix until the dough just begins to come together. It should feel crumbly.

You don't need to knead, just gather all the crumbs from the side of the bowl into a ball, pressing them together with your hands. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge 30 minutes.

Put the grated apples, the lemon juice and the sugar into a small pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until all the liquid is evaporated. Take off the heat, add the spices and the walnuts in and stir.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease with some butter 1 or 2 large baking trays.

Divide the dough into 30 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then press your thumb into the ball to form a large hollow. Spoon the filling into the hollows and press the dough over it to seal completely. Pat them down very gently with your hands.

Put the cookies, with the seam side down, on the baking trays leaving a bit of space between them. Put in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until they are lightly golden.

Remove from the oven and sift some icing sugar and cinnamon on top of the cookies. Let them cool completely before you serve.

They can be kept for 2 to 3 days at room temperature and for several months in the freezer.