TURKISH APPLE COOKIES (ELMALI KURABIYE)

Fall is Apple season.  I used McIntosh apples for this recipe.  I was also short of time this morning so I took a short cut.  Instead of individual cookies that are oval shaped, I rolled them into a log and cut them to show the middle part.  They are a similar consistency to shortbread in that they not very sweet and on dry side just the way we like them with coffee or tea.

Cookie dough:
250 gr margarine
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup icing sugar (if you like sweeter cookies, you can increase to a cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 package (9gr.) vanilla
3 cups flour
Filling:
3 middle size McIntosh Apples
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup walnut chips

• Start with soft margarine that is room temperature.  Add in yogurt, icing sugar, vanilla and baking powder.  Slowly add in flour to get a soft dough.  Cover and set aside to rest.
• Peel apples and grade them.  Put in a pot, add in sugar and cook until all the juice is gone.  Add in walnuts and set aside to cool.
• Depending on the shape you want to use, roll out the dough and arrange the middle.  In my case, I rolled it out to a rectangle on waxed paper, spread the filling all over.  I rolled into a log making sure wax paper could be removed.  I removed the waxed paper and moved it onto a cookie sheet.
• Cook at 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes until it is golden brown. 
• Let it cool completely
• Cut into shape, arrange on a plate and sprinkle generous amount of icing sugar.