Celebration Cookies

My friend Yolin developed this recipe for “Celebration Cookies” to commemorate Barack Obama’s election. (Funny note: Yolin and I went to high school together, hadn’t seen each other in 12 years and have ended up living just blocks away from each other as adults–in a different town than we grew up in, which we didn’t know until earlier this year.) She’s graciously provided the Obama Craft Project with her recipe:

Ingredients:
1 package of Pepperidge Farms pastry sheets.
1 Can, blueberry pie filling
Raspberry Jam
All-purpose flour (for your work surface)

Tools:
1. Set of Round Biscuit/Cookie Cutter
2. Metal Apple corer
3. Tin Foil
4. Any old baking pan

Please read all the instructions before you begin. It’s easier to make one cookie at a time, rather than an assembly-line style.

Instructions:
Set puff pastry out on the counter. It will take 40 minutes to de-frost. Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Dough Template:
Roll out a pastry sheet. Take the circular cookie cutter and cut out your base. Take your apple coring tool and cut a smaller dough circle for the middle. Gently place the small dough circle in the center the larger one (do not apply pressure!) Use your cookie cutter to mark a subtle indent where the top of your stripes will cross the bottom of your cookie. This line should cut through the center of your small circle of dough. Remove the small circle of dough, and use your cookie cutter to make a clean cut upon the indent. Put this newly cut crescent aside.

Make the stripes:
Cut another large round piece of dough with the cookie cutter. From the top of that circular piece, cut an arch-like sliver about 1/4 inch from the top. Make another arching stripe. You can get several stripes from one circle before the stripes become too short. You’ll only need 2 stripes for this cookie.

Assemble for Baking:
Return to your large, round piece of dough and pinch a small lip up around the diameter. This will give you a ‘mini-pie crust’ which will keep any fruit juices from spilling over. Fill in the top half of your mini pie crust with blueberry pie filling. Just a spoonful will do. Fill the bottom half with raspberry jam. Now, add the little dough half-moon crescent in the center. Then, add two stripes, carefully attaching the ends to your pie crust. Line your baking pan with tin foil. Add cookies to tinfoil lined tray and bake for 11-15 minutes.

Recipe makes 9-12 cookies.

Yes We Can!