Source: Lora Brody's Christmas Cookie Book
You can probably tell by looking at the picture that these are really light and rich and tasty. The apricot jam and golden raisins makes this both sweet and tangy. They are fun to make too. A little time consuming, but so so worth it. Rugelach are made at Christmas time. But why? They are not red and green. They are too good to allocate to one month of the year. Lora Brody is talented. These are the best.
Dough:
1 - 8-ounce cream cheese
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour (sift into the cup and level off)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Filling:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cups golden raisins
1 cup coarsely-chopped walnuts
1/4 cup apricot preserves (well stirred)
Topping:
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Soften the cream cheese and butter. In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the flour and the optional salt until incorporated.
Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it together to form a ball. Divide the dough into 4 portions and cover each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours or overnight.
Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the sugars, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts and stir with a spatula or fork until well mixed. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter for 15 minutes or until it is malleable enough to roll.
Place 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a floured rolling pin, on a lightly floured board, roll out each dough portion, one at a time, into a 9-inch circle to a 1/8-inch thickness, rotating the dough often to be sure that it isn't sticking. Using the back of a tablespoon, spread the dough evenly with 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the raisin-walnut filling over the preserves. Press the filling firmly and evenly over the dough. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough circle into 12 triangles or pieces of 'pie.'
Use a thin knife, if necessary to loosen the triangles from the board. Starting at the wide end, roll up the triangle and bend the ends around to form a slight crescent shape. Place the Rugelach, point underneath, about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (cookie sheets lined with parchment or buttered). Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
For the topping, brush the Rugelach with milk. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle the Rugelach with it. Bake for 16- to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
1 - 8-ounce cream cheese
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour (sift into the cup and level off)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Filling:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cups golden raisins
1 cup coarsely-chopped walnuts
1/4 cup apricot preserves (well stirred)
Topping:
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Soften the cream cheese and butter. In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the flour and the optional salt until incorporated.
Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it together to form a ball. Divide the dough into 4 portions and cover each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours or overnight.
Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the sugars, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts and stir with a spatula or fork until well mixed. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter for 15 minutes or until it is malleable enough to roll.
Place 2 oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a floured rolling pin, on a lightly floured board, roll out each dough portion, one at a time, into a 9-inch circle to a 1/8-inch thickness, rotating the dough often to be sure that it isn't sticking. Using the back of a tablespoon, spread the dough evenly with 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the raisin-walnut filling over the preserves. Press the filling firmly and evenly over the dough. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough circle into 12 triangles or pieces of 'pie.'
Use a thin knife, if necessary to loosen the triangles from the board. Starting at the wide end, roll up the triangle and bend the ends around to form a slight crescent shape. Place the Rugelach, point underneath, about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (cookie sheets lined with parchment or buttered). Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
For the topping, brush the Rugelach with milk. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle the Rugelach with it. Bake for 16- to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking period. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
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