Grammy's Blueberry Newtons

A little over a week ago, while I was SKYPING with Ari, I told him I was sending a package and I would make some cookies to go in it.  "What kind would you like?" I asked him.  The King said, "Blueberry!"  I didn't have time to do some experimenting before getting the package out, so I sent him some Spice Cookies and promised I would come up with a blueberry cookie that he would love.

Today, I made, what I'm calling, Blueberry Newtons.  I started with dried blueberries, with their intense, concentrated flavor, added some CheriRaisins and soaked them both for several hours in warmed apple cider to plump them up.  To me, these newtons taste like blueberry pie wrapped in a cookie!

Hopefully, this time next year I'll be living closer to our grandchildren and I won't have to send their goodies in a box.  When our daughters visited my parent's home, my Mom always fixed them a "goodie bag" to go home with; candy, gum, cookies, etc.  They looked forward to these treats and I wouldn't have denied the look on their faces getting their "booty" or my Mom giving it.  As I look back it was more than the treats, it was this special bond that was forming between them.  Kelly told me, when she had Ari, that she would allow me to do the same thing because she believed it was an important rite of passage that grandparents get to do.  I love being a Grammy and I told my husband the other day, "who would have guessed my greatest fan club would be under three feet tall!"

Blueberry Newtons

Filling:

3/4 c apple cider, heated
1 1/4 c dried blueberries
1/2 c  CheriRaisins
1/3 c blueberry jam (preferably homemade)

Dough:

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
3 T golden brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 
2 eggs
1/3 c milk
2 tsp. vanilla

1-2 T milk
1/4 c Turbinado Sugar

In a medium bowl, place the blueberries and CheriRaisins, then pour the warmed cider.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set 2-3 hours (or overnight).

Meanwhile mix up the dough.  In a food processor, place all the dry ingredients and pulse a couple of times to incorporate.  Cut the cold butter into 1-inch pieces.

Place in the bowl of the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Mix the wet ingredients together (eggs, milk and vanilla) and whisk to blend.  Add to the flour/butter mixture and pulse until the dough comes together.  Be careful not to overwork the dough.

Turn out onto a pastry board and knead slightly to form into a ball.  Divide the ball in half into two equal disks.  Wrap with plastic wrap and chill 2-3 hours.

After at least 2-3 hours, strain the blueberry/CheriRaisin mixture and place the fruit in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until a paste is formed.  Use a spatula to scrape the paste into a bowl and add the 1/3 cup of blueberry jam.  Stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 400F-degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lightly flour a pastry board and roll out one disk of dough to a 9" x 11" rectangle.  Use a ruler to get the measurement exact.

Divide the dough in half, horizontally into two 41/2" x 11" strips.  Place one-quarter of the filling down the center of the dough.

Bring the top half over and roll the whole strip towards you, ending with the seam underneath.

Cut the roll in half; continue to cut and divide, getting 8 pieces out of each half.  Brush the tops of the cookies with milk and sprinkle with the Turbinado Sugar.

 Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Let set on parchment-lined baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.

One last note.  After Ari opened the package I sent him last week, he climbed into a large basket.  When his Daddy asked him what he was doing, he promptly said, "I go to MiMi's house!"  I love that he gets the concept of shipping something special to ones you love.  Enjoy!