Sunday, December 12, 2010

Rugelach


Every Christmas, I have my must make cookies and then I like to try something new too.  I saw these in a cookie cook book and knew I had to make them, and I made the right decision!  They are really delicious and a nice change from most of the other kind of cookies I make.  I saw various recipes, and some had no sugar in the actual dough, I decided to put some in mine and used a recipe from Barefoot Contessa.  Her stuff is always so good!  I filled some with the traditional, called for filling and some with nutella and finely chopped pecans.  Oh my goodness, I had forgotten how much I love nutella!  They were so good!  And though my husband enjoyed the nutella, he liked the traditional better.  Either way, you can't go wrong.   These will be added to my annual must make list for sure!

RUGELACH 

 by: Ina Garten

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor, or raspberry jam
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Directions

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves or raspberry jam and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12-16 equal wedges— (I liked cutting them smaller, found them easier to deal with) cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds, etc. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

No comments:

Post a Comment