Raisin Pockets

Total Time: 21 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 6 mins

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups raisins
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, slightly softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Recipe

• 1 in a medium heavy saucepan, stir together the raisins, brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and 1/2 cup water.
• 2 bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• 3 cook, stirring frequently, for 5-8 minutes, or until the raisins are rehydrated and most of the liquid is absorbed. if the mixture looks dry during cooking, stir in 1-2 tbls more water.
• 4 transfer the mixture to a good processor.
• 5 process till the raisins are coarsely ground.
• 6 cover and refrigerate the filling until cool and thickened slightly, at least 1 hour. the filling may be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
• 7 let come to room temperature and stir before using.
• 8 dough.
• 9 in a medium mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, baking powder,baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• 10 in a large bowl with electic mixer on medium speed, beat together the sugar and vanilla till well blended and lightened. add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and lemon zest and beat till well blended and smooth. stir in remaining flour mixture until evenly incorporated.
• 11 divide dough into thirds.
• 12 place each portion between large sheets of wax paper.
• 13 roll out each portion a generous 1/8" thick, check the underside of the dough and smooth out any wrinkles that form. stack the rolled portions (paper still attached) on a baking sheet.
• 14 refrigerate for an hour or chilled and firm or freeze for 30 minutes to speed chilling. the dough may be held for 24 hours. if frozen, let it warm up slightly before using.
• 15 preheat oven to 375*.
• 16 grease several baking sheets or use nonstick spray.
• 17 working with one portion of dough at a time, leaving remaining dough to chill -- gently peel away the paper then pat back into place one sheet of wax paper. flip the dough over, then peel off and discard the second sheet of wax paper.
• 18 using a 2 1/2"-2 3/4" round cookie cutter, cut out enough cookies to fill one baking sheet. if at any time dough softens too much to handle, transfer dough to be chilled.
• 19 place on baking sheet, about 2" apart. place a heaping tspful of filling in the center of each round, spreading it out slightly.
• 20 cut out enough cookies to top ones on baking sheet. and immediately place them on the filled rounds. as the cookie tops soften enought to be pliable, using the tines of a fork, decoratively press pocket edges together, dip tines in flour occasionally to prevent sticking. reroll any dough scraps and continue cutting and filling until dough is used.
• 21 bake the cookies, one sheet at a time in upper third of oven for 6-9 minutes or until lightly browned all over and slightly darker at the edges. reverse sheet from front to back, halfway through baking to ensure even browning transfer the sheet to wire rack and let stand until cookies firm up slightly--1-2 minutes.
• 22 using a spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack --.
• 23 let stand until completely cooled. store in an airtight container for up to 1 week -- or freeze up to one month.