As the cold season sets in, here’s a new recipe to try for a delicious dessert to warm your house and your heart <3
Ingredients:
4 cups of four
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of butter
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 egg (substitute with unsweetened apple sauce or mashed banana)
3/4 cup of cream cheese
A pinch of salt
Fruit jam or dulce de leche
Instructions:
To begin, preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, combine the 1 tbsp of vanilla extract, ½ cup of butter (left as a stick), egg, 1 tbsp of sugar, and ¾ cup of cream cheese. Mix these together before adding them to the flour mixture. Next, incorporate the 4 cups of flour, ½ tsp baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir until well combined, and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. After chilling, start molding the dough into small rounds about the size of your palm. You should have about 20-25 portions from the ingredients. Once all the dough is portioned, flatten each piece using a rolling pin, your palm, or a tortilla press. At this point, add your desired filling (fruit jam or dulce de leche is highly suggested) to the center of the flattened dough; be careful not to overfill or it will spill out. Fold the dough in half to form a half-moon shape and press the edges to seal the filling, using a fork if you’d like. Arrange the completed empanadas in a pan, leaving about 1-2 inches of space between each. For a golden, crispy finish and to help seal the filling, you may brush the tops with egg, though this step is optional. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. After baking, allow the empanadas to cool for at least 5 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar for an extra sweet touch. I hope these desserts bring you as much joy as they do to me! Of course, enjoy them with a yummy champurrado in this sweater weather!
