Cleveland Style Russian Tea Cakes

Submitted by Chef #560300

"A perennial favorite in Cleveland area bakeries, I have been searching for this recipe for years. It is definately not the recipe for traditional russian tea cakes or biscuits-except maybe in Cleveland. Found it on the hungrybrowser/Uncle Phaedrus website. It's origin is Eastern European and it's a pastry that is rolled with raspberry filling and raisins, but it's also made with a chocolate filling. The dough is reminiscent of a scone. It's rolled like you would a strudel and then sliced and baked individually."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 25mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Yields: 28 pastries
• Serves: 28

ingredients

• 4 1⁄2 cups unsifted flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup oil
• 1⁄4 cup margarine, melted
• 1⁄4 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange peel, grated
• 4 eggs (use 3 eggs plus 1 yolk, save1 white)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• FILLING

• 1 cup jam or 1 cup preserves
• 1 - 1 1⁄2 cup almonds, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 - 2 cups golden raisins

• TOPPING

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 cup large crystal sugar
• 1 egg white

directions

1. Sift dry ingredients in bowl; make well in center and add oil, margarine, orange,juice and peel, eggs and vanilla.
2. Knead dough, refrigerate at least 2 hours.
3. Cut dough into 4 parts. Refrigerate unused dough in between rolling. Roll 1 dough piece on floured board, to 8" x 16", spread with 1/4 cup jam, then sprinkle with nuts and raisins.
4. Roll as for jelly roll.
5. Brush top with egg white,sprinkle with sugar mixture.
6. Slice into 1 1/2 inch slices, place 1 1/2 inches apart on very lightly greased baking sheet with topping side up. Continue with other pieces of dough.
7. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
8. Remove from baking sheet, and cool on rack.

Reviews

[Phyllis G.]

These are great .I used to get them at a bakery and they quit making them. Now I can make them myself. The bakery also added coconut to the filling. I made them both ways ,either one is delicious.