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the
classic rugelach
from The Jewish Holiday Baker, Random House, 1997
from ann amernick
Probably the most popular of American Jewish cookies, this horn-shaped
treat was made in Europe with butter; cream cheese was added in this
country. I love Ann's version: it has no sugar in the dough but a sprinkling
on top of the finished cookie. She also uses this dough to make hamantashen.
The dough:
- 8 ounces
cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup
(2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups
unbleached all-purpose flour
- Confectioners'
sugar
Apricot filling:
- 1 cup
thick apricot preserves
- 3/4
cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Chocolate filling:
- 1 cup
(about 8 ounces) shaved bittersweet chocolate, preferable imported
- 1/4
cup sugar
Cinnamon-sugar
filling:
- 1/4
cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2
cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons
cinnamon
The dough:
1. Place the cream cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with
the paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add
the flour and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Filling and baking the rugelach:
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking
parchment.
3. Mix the ingredients for the apricot or chocolate filling and divide
the dough into 4 balls. Roll the balls out into 4 circles about 1/8 inch
thick and 9 inches in diameter. Spread the apricot or chocolate filling
over the dough. If using the cinnamon-sugar filling, brush the melted
butter on first, then the combined cinnamon and sugar.
4. Using a dull knife, cut each circle of dough into 16 pie-shaped pieces
about 2 inches wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to
the center. Place the rugelach on the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake
in the oven on the middle and lower racks, switching after 12 minutes,
also switching back to front. Continue baking about 13 more minutes, or
until golden brown. Remove the rugelach to racks to cool. Sprinkle the
apricot and chocolate rugelach with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Yield: 64 rugelach
[holiday
baking home]
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