Recipe: Yujacha Rolls

In my quest to find more alternative uses for ??? yujacha (Asian citron marmalade tea) beyond the traditional Korean hot drink, I came up with a sweet treat, Yujacha Rolls.





This recipe is simpler than Yujacha Hamantashen but equally delicious. (Tammy Quackenbush photo)


These rolls are much quicker to prepare than Yujacha Hamantashen but use the same filling. Hamantashen are triangle-shaped cookies filled with dried fruit or chocolate and traditionally eaten around the Jewish festival of Purim.



If you prefer a sweeter dough, follow the instructions for hamantashen dough.



Dough 

inspired by Martha Stewart



1 cup salted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting



Filling

1 1/3 cup yujacha (available in jars)

1 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (pine nuts would make an excellent alternative)

1/4 cup Chinese sugar (1/4 cup sugar + 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder)



Dough instructions

Combine butter, cream cheese and salt in a bowl.
With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the mixture on the low setting for a a few minutes until the mixture is creamy.
Add the flour slowly and continue mixing until the dough starts to form a ball.
Sprinkle flour on the work surface, dump out the dough ball from the bowl, and continue kneading the dough for a couple more minutes. Make sure the flour and wet ingredients are all mixed together.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Final steps

Roll the dough flat until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
Put yujacha, sugar and walnuts in a small saucepan and warm them enough to allow the mixture to combine well.
Spread the yujacha mixture all over the surface of the dough, as you would on a pizza.
Once the dough is covered with the mixture, roll it into a log.
Cut the log into 1- to 2-inch thick slices, like cutting a roll of kimbap or sushi. Rinse the knife periodically to ensure smooth cuts. 
Place the sliced rolls on a cookie sheet with a nonstick surface (such as a Silpat silicone pad or grease applied to the pan) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, and allow the rolls to cool a little before serving.