Fig Rugelach

Makes 24 

These cookies are a buttery and rich Hanukkah tradition. Fig preserves and pecans make the filling for these indulgent cookies. Serve with coffee or tea.

Ingredients 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 (8-ounce) package Neufchâtel or cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup fig preserves

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Milk

Turbinado sugar 

Method 

In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until silky. Add brown sugar, vanilla and salt and continue mixing until creamy. Add flours and mix just until well combined. To ensure tender, flaky cookies, avoid overworking dough. 

Divide dough into three equal portions on separate parchment sheets. Fold each parchment sheet over dough and flatten each into a 6- x 8-inch rectangle. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll each rectangle of dough between parchment to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Uncover dough and spread a thin layer of fig preserves onto each rectangle. Sprinkle with pecans, pressing them into the dough. Using edge of parchment as an aid, roll each piece of dough into a log and press to tighten. Brush logs with milk and sprinkle with sugar, then carefully cut into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Set cookies aside to let cool slightly.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/902

Rugelach

Dough Ingredients

 113 grams/4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces

 113 grams/4 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

 1 cup all-purpose flour

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are best)

 1/3 cup plump, moist dried currants or chopped raisins

Glaze

 1 large egg

 1 teaspoon cold water

 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Filling

 2/3 cup raspberry jam, apricot jam or marmalade

 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Add flour mixture and stir with a spoon until a soft dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and shape it into an rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, 8 to 24 hours. 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 12″ baking pan with parchment paper. 

Cut dough into 2 pieces. Wrap one piece in plastic wrap and chill, and roll the other piece into a 12- by 8-inch rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer this dough to a sheet of parchment or wax paper, then transfer to a tray and chill while rolling out remaining dough in same manner, transferring each to another sheet of parchment and stacking on tray. 

Whisk 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon. Arrange one dough rectangle on work surface with a long side nearest you. Spread half the preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula. Sprinkle with half of the currents/raisins and half of the nuts over jam, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar. Cover the filling with a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough, then remove the paper and save it for the next batch. 

Using parchment as an aid, roll up dough tightly into a log. Place, seam side down, in your lined baking pan, then pinch ends closed and tuck underneath. Make the other log in same manner and arrange 1 inch apart in pan. Place back in your fridge for a further 30 minutes to chill. 

Whisk the egg and the water together and brush both the logs, then sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of remaining granulated sugar. With a sharp large knife, make deep cuts crosswise in dough (not all the way through) at 1 inch intervals. 

Bake until golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool to warm in pan on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer logs to a cutting board and slice rugealch all the way through.

http://www.mybestdaysever.com/rugelach/

Nutella Rugelach with Hazelnuts

Dough:

1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks)

1/2 lb. cream cheese (8 oz.)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1- 1/2 cups flour

Mix all together using a heavy duty mixer or by hand kneading the dough until well blended with all the above ingredients. Chill dough wrapped in plastic or wax paper overnight. Remove from the refrigerator a 1/2 hour before rolling.

Filling:

      1 jar Nutella

      1 or more cups of chopped hazelnuts 

  Roll out to 3/8 inch thickness on a floured board. Spread with a light layer of Nutella and sprinkle evenly with chopped hazelnuts.

 Roll in jellyroll fashion and cut into slices 1/4 inch wide. Put on cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper.

 (Optional: brush with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with fine sugar).

Bake in 350 degree oven on a middle rack, 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and loosen with knife immediately place on a wire rack to cool on. Watch carefully not to burn.

I like to sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar just for presentation.

http://pegasuslegend-whatscookin.blogspot.com/2011/12/nutella-rugelach-with-hazelnuts-recipe.html

Date, Hazelnut and Chocolate Filled Croissant-Shaped Rugelach

Yields: 45 pastries

Ingredients

16 Tbs unsalted butter, 2 sticks (+6 Tbs), cold

8 oz cream cheese, soft at room temperature

4 oz fromage blanc

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp fleur de sel, finely ground

1/2 cup Belgian pearl sugar

3 Tbs butter

1 Tbs cinnamon powder

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup hazelnuts, freshly roasted for about 15 minutes in the oven

1 tsp clementine zest

1 Tbs brown sugar

1 cup dates

1 cup fruity tea, hot 

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Directions 

For the dates: 

Pit the dates. Place the pitted dates in a small stainless steel bowl. Pour the hot cup of tea over the dates. Soak the dates in the tea for at least 30 minutes. Drain all the liquid and discard it. Get the soaked dates and add brown sugar. Stir the mixture and turn the dates into a thick paste. Add the clementine zest. Plastic-wrap the bowl and place in a warm area. It's best to make it the night before.

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For the dough: 

Let the cream cheese soften for about 15 minutes before using it. Cut into 6 cubes. 

Cut each stick of butter (total 2 sticks) into 12 cubes. The butter should be cold just out of the refrigerator. 

Sift the flour and salt. 

Combine the cream cheese, butter, flour, salt and fromage blanc in a food processor. Place the setting on "dough" and gently pulse the dough about 10 times. Transfer the dough into a bowl and quickly form a ball. It's crucial not to overmix the dough, you should still see bits and pieces of butter. Divide the dough into 3 balls. 

Place a silicon mat or a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray. Spread one ball of rugelach dough onto the silicon mat. Place another silicon mat on top of the dough like a sandwich. Even out the dough using a rolling pin and form 8 inch diameter size disks. Repeat the same procedure for the other 2 dough balls. Stack the 3 layers on top of each other. Plastic wrap the tray and place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or until the rest of the components of the rugelach are ready.

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For the filling: 

Pulse the chocolate chips in a food processor to obtain small morsels. 

Coarsely chop the roasted hazelnuts using a chef's knife. 

In a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the Belgian pearl sugar with the cinnamon. Set aside. 

In a bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar (get the most powdery product in the bottom of the mortar and pestle) with 3 tablespoons of butter until it forms a cream.

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Rolling time:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Get the rugelach dough out of the freezer. Remove the first layer of silicone mat. Place the 3 dough disks next to each other. Brush an even amount of cinnamon sugar butter onto each disks. Spread the date paste. Sprinkle a generous amount of chocolate and finish with the coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Using a pizza wheel, make even portion of rugelach forming triangles. I use the π method to guarantee even portions. 

Roll each triangle into little croissant starting from the base of the triangle. To get a nice crescent, make sure to gently curve the pointy ends to the inside. At this point, you can either star to brush your rugelach or freeze them.

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For the glazing: 

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Brush each croissant using a silicone brush, then sprinkle with the coarse part of the cinnamon Belgian Pearl sugar. Place each rugelach onto a lined baking sheet. You'll need 3 trays.

Recipe Source: http://www.phamfatale.com/id_150/title_Date-Hazelnut-and-Chocolate-filled-Croissant-Shaped-Rugelach/

Cranberry and Orange Almond Rugelach

Almond Paste combines with classic festive flavors to make this delicious holiday cookie.

Yield: 60 cookies

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

7 oz Almond Paste, grated

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1-8 oz package chilled cream cheese, cut into 1/2” pieces

2 sticks chilled butter (1 cup), cut into 1/2” pieces

Filling:

1 cup almonds

1-6 oz package sweetened dried cranberries

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1-18 oz jar orange marmalade

1 beaten egg

Granulated sugar for dusting  

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Parchment paper

Food processor

DIRECTIONS 

Combine grated Almond Paste, flour and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to combine. 

Add cream cheese and butter. Pulse until mixture looks like coarse corn meal. 

Pour dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Press and knead into a ball and divide into 4 equal balls. Shape each ball into a flat disk, about 5", and wrap well. Refrigerate while making filling. 

In processor bowl, combine almonds , cranberries and rind. Pulse until very finely chopped. Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil. 

On a lightly floured table, roll one of the disks into a 9” circle, keeping other disks refrigerated. Use a 9” plate or cake pan for a guide and trim edges neatly. Save trimmings for 5th circle. 

Spread 3 tablespoons of marmalade over dough. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of filling over marmalade. Press firmly into dough. Cut circle into 12 equal pie shaped wedges. 

Beginning with the wide end of the wedge, roll cookie to the point. Shape into a crescent and place on cookie sheets. 

Brush rugelach with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining disks.

Recipe Source: http://www.odense.com/index.php?page=recipe&id=35

Chocolate Rugelach

 (From Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours) 

Ingredients:

For the dough

 4 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces (See Note below)

 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces (See Note below)

 1 cup all purpose flour

 1/4 teaspoon salt 

For the filling

 2/3 cup raspberry jam, apricot jam or marmalade ((I used peach jam)

 2 tablespoons sugar

 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds)

 1/4 cup plump, moist dried currants ((I used raisins)

 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or 2/3 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For the glaze

 1 large egg

 1 teaspoon cold water

 2 tablespoons sugar, preferably coarse sugar

Method:

For the dough

 1) Let the cream cheese and butter rest on counter for 10 minutes. It should be slightly softened but cool.

 2) Put the flour and salt in a food processor, scatter over the chunks of cream cheese and butter and pulse the machine for 6 to 10 times. Then process, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, just until the dough forms large curds. Do not work the dough too long that it forms a ball on the blade.

 (Note: I used a stand mixer and I find that it’s easier to process by cutting the cream cheese and butter into cubes of 1-cm)

 3) Remove the dough from the food processor, divide into half, shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to a day. (Wrap airtight, the dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)

To make the filling

 1) Heat the jam in a saucepan over low heat, or microwave until it liquefies. Mix sugar and cinnamon together.

 2) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (Silicone baking mats are great for rugelach.)

To shape the cookies

 1) Pull one packet of dough from the refrigerator. If it is too firm to roll easily, leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes or give it a few bashes with your rolling pin.

 2) On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into an 11- to 12-inch circle. Spoon (or brush) a thin gloss of jam over the dough, and sprinkle over half of the cinnamon sugar.

 3) Scatter over half of the nuts, half of the chopped chocolate and half of the currants. Cover the filling with a piece of wax paper and gently press the filling into the dough, then remove the paper and save it for the next batch.

 4) Using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 wedges, or trigangles. (The easiest way to do this is to cut into quarters, then cut each quarters into 4 pieces.)

 5) Starting at the base of each triangle, roll the dough up so that each triangle becomes a little crescent.

 6) Arrange the roll-ups on one baking sheet, making sure the points are tucked under the cookies, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (The cookies can be refrigerate overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; don’t defrost before baking, just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.)

Getting ready to bake

 1) Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

To glaze

 1) Stir the egg and water together. Brush a bit of the glaze over each rugelach. Sprinkle the cookies with sugar.

 2) Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until they are puffed and golden.

 3) Transfer the cookies to racks to cool to just warm or to room temperature.

Recipe Source: http://carabossesbakeshop.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/chocolate-rugelach/

White Chocolate-Apricot Rugelach (Cornulete cu gem)

I must tell you, these are one of my favorite cookies ever! They are perfect for breakfast with coffee as well as an after dinner treat.  You can choose your favorite flavor of jam, you do not have to use apricot, I’ve tried these with raspberry jam, or strawberry jam and they are all delicious.  I’ve also made them with nutella, and boy are they good!! These rugelach (cornulete cu gem) are simple perfection. They are easy to make and beyond delicious. When you bite into these, it’s an explosion of flavors in your mouth. This time I added pecans to them to give them a bit of crunch, but it’s optional.

Ingredients

 •1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

 •3/4 cup cold butter or margarine

 •1/2 cup sour cream

 •1 tsp vanilla extract

 •1/3 cup apricot jam or raspberry jam

 •1/2 cup white chocolate finely chopped

 •2 tbsp granulated sugar

 •1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions 

1. Place flour in a mixing bowl and with 2 knives cut in the butter or margarine till the mixture resembles small peas. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla till the dough holds together. On your floured work surface knead the dough about 10 times. Divide the dough into 3 pieces and wrap in plastic wrap.

 2. Roll one piece of the dough at a time into 10 inch circle. This is like making pizza. Spread the dough with 2 tbsp of jam and sprinkle with one third of the chopped white chocolate. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into 12 wedges. Starting at curved edge, roll up each wedge and place point-side down, on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.

 3. In a small bowl stir together the sugar and cinnamon if desired and sprinkle over each cookie. If you are trying to cut back on sugar, you can omit this step.

 4. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 min or until light golden brown.

 5. This recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe Source: http://www.jocooks.com/bakery/cookies-bakery/white-chocolate-apricot-rugelach/

Rugelach

From rubyglen.com

Rugelach, which means "little horns", is a delicious cookie of Jewish heritage. These bite sized crescent cookies are made with a rich cream cheese dough that is filled with either poppy seeds, jams, nuts or fruit.

For the dough:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

For the nut filling*:
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins, optional

For the topping:
1 egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon milk
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Place the butter and cream cheese in a food processor (or mix with mixer); cream until thoroughly combined.

Add the flour and sugar, and pulse until combined.

Divide the dough in half and flatten. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

To make the filling: place the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins in the food processor, and pulse until combined.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

On a well-floured surface, roll out each half of the dough into an 8 - 9 inch circle. Sprinkle each circle with half of the sugar-nut mixture.

Cut each circle into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Starting at the wide end of each piece, roll it up toward the point. Place on a parchment lined (or greased) cookie sheet.

Mix the egg and milk together and brush on the cookies. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the cookies.

Place in oven and bake for 16 - 19 minutes, until golden brown.

Other fillings: For the fillings below, I always sprinkle a little granulated sugar/cinnamon mixture over the fruits and preserves.
apricot preserves
fruit jams
mini chocolate chips
finely chopped dates
finely chopped apples

Recipe Source: http://recipeforfun.blogspot.com/

Rugalech with Prune Filling

Makes 32 small pastries

For the pastry:
200 g (13T) butter, softened
200 g (13T) full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
2 tsp caster sugar (superfine sugar or regular sugar)
200 g (3/4 c) all-purpose flour, sifted
a pinch of salt

For the filling:
200 g (3/4 c) dried plums/prunes
100 ml (3 ½ oz. or 7T) brandy or cognac

Breadcrumb mixture:
4 Tbsp breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp cinnamon

For glazing:
1 egg white, beaten with a little water

On the night before:

Pour brandy over the prunes and let soak for up to 24 hours.

Cream the warm butter and cream cheese until well blended. Beat in the sugar, then stir in the flour and salt. Mix until the dough begins to hold together, press into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill overnight in the fridge.

On the day of baking:
Combine the breadcrumbs, sugar and cinnamon.

Puree the prunes with the brandy until smooth.

Divide the dough ball into two and return the other half into the fridge. Roll out the pastry on a slightly floured surface into a thin circle about 25 cm /10 inches in diameter. Using a sharp knife or a pizza-wheel, cut into 16 equal wedges.

Brush the surface of the wedges with half of the prune puree, then sprinkle half of the breadcrumb mixture on top, spreading evenly as you go. Using your hand or a rolling pin, press the filling tightly down into the dough (there seems to be a lot of filling, but it'll make the pastries only nicer!).

Carefully roll up each wedge tightly, starting from the wider, outside end. You'll end up with 16 mini croissants. Brush with egg white wash.

Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and bake at the middle of a preheated 180 C/350 F oven for 20-30 minutes, until the rugelach are golden brown.

Leave to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack.

Repeat with the second half of the pastry - even straight away or on the following day.

 Recipe Source: http://nami-nami.blogspot.com/2009/12/holiday-baking-rugelach-with-prune.html

Apricot and Almond Crescents

225g (1 c) flour

60g (1/4 c) almond meal

55g (1/4 c) castor sugar (super fine sugar or regular sugar)

2 teaspoon lemon rind

90g (6T) cream cheese

90g (6T) butter, chopped coarsely

2 tablespoon milk

1 egg white

20g (1T) flaked or slivered almonds

 Filling:

60g (1/4 c) dried apricots

80g (5T) apricot jam

55g (1/4 c) castor sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Process flour, almond meal, sugar and rind until combined. Add cream cheese and butter, pulse until crumbly. Add milk, process until ingredients come together.

Knead the dough lightly on floured surface until smooth. Divide dough in half. Roll each half between sheets of baking paper until large enough to be cut into 22cm (8 ½”) rounds. (Use a plate or a cake pan for this). Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C (350 degrees F). Line baking trays with baking paper.

Make filling by combining ingredients in a small bowl.

Cut each round into 12 edges, spread with filling, roll from the wide end into crescents. Place on oven trays, brush with egg white, sprinkle with nuts.

Bake crescents 25 minutes. Cool on trays.

Recipe Source: http://marcellinaincucina.blogspot.com/2010/11/week-8-of-twelve-weeks-of-christmas.html

Raspberry Rugelach

From the book Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America.

2 cups All Purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups pecans, toasted
1/3 cup chopped semisweet chocolate (optional; I used mini chocolate chips)
1 cup raspberry jam (I used seedless)
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar (1/3 cup sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)
egg wash (1 large egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp. milk or cold water; I used water)

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In a mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until combined, scraping the bowl as needed to evenly blend. Tightly wrap the dough and chill it for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it's firm.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it's 1 inch thick all over. Fold the dough over into thirds, like you'd fold a letter. Wrap the dough and chill it for at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.

To prepare the filling, combine the pecans and chocolate in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse repeatedly until the mixture forms a coarse paste. (I pulsed until a bit of it held together when I pressed with my fingers; it was not truly like "paste" for me, but it worked just fine the way it was.) Dump it all into a bowl, add in all of the jam, and stir until it's well combined.

When you're ready to assemble and bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. Divide the chilled dough into 4 equal pieces. Return three of them to the fridge while you work on the first one.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 10" circle. Spread 1/4 of the filling evenly all over the circle, extending almost right up to the edge. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cinnamon sugar evenly over the filling.

Cut the circle evenly into wedges; 16 if you want very small rugelach, 12 if you'd like them slightly larger (I used a sharp pizza wheel to cut them; I made mine into 12 wedges and they were still small). Roll the wedges up, starting at the wide end. Curve the ends in slightly, like a crescent, if you wish.

Place them on your lined cookie sheet. Brush them gently with the egg wash, and sprinkle each one with cinnamon sugar.

Bake them until light golden brown, for approximately 25 to 30 minutes (mine only took about 22 minutes). Transfer the finished rugelach to wire racks and cool them completely before storing or serving them.

 Recipe Source: http://janessweets.blogspot.com/2009/12/raspberry-rugelach-and-thats-just-for.html

Rugetella

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
make 24 1×3-3/4-inch bars

Since Nutella is produced as a spread, it oozes out of a typical rolled up crescent shape rugelach, so I use a different technique. A sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts and Nutella spread sandwiched between two sheets of rugelach dough, baked in a baking pan until golden and slighty crispy. Unlike a bar cookie, Rugetella has a softer body, I cut them into small finger-size stripes to prevent them from crumbling.

Bake these Rugetella to celebrate Hanukkah, but since Nutella is a spread that everyone loves, why not archive this recipe and baked the Rugetella whenever you have the urge to hit that special spot. Have a wonderful holiday season and bake something special for your friends and family.

Dough
6 ounces (1-1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup Nutella
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons sanding sugar, or granulated sugar

1. Place 1-1/2 sticks butter and the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the cream cheese is broken down but butter is still chunky. On low speed, add flour and salt, and mix until crumbly and just beginning to hold together, about 20 seconds. There should still be some small pieces of butter visible. Divide dough into two equal parts. Form each part into a flattened rectangle, and wrap in plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill 5 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350℉. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap hazelnuts in tea towel and rub vigorously to get skin off. Finely chop hazelnuts

3. In a small bowl, add Nutella and chopped hazelnuts, stir to combine. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolk with the water, and set aside.set aside.

4. Lined a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper so it’ll have a 2-inch over hang along the length of the pan. Place a rectangle of dough between two 9-by-13-inch pieces of waxed paper; roll dough into a rectangle the size of the baking pan. Line prepared baking pan with dough. Spread dough evenly with Nutella nut mixture. Roll remaining rectangle of dough into a rectangle the size of the baking pan; place on top. Trim the edges of the dough so they are even. Brush the top of dough with eggyolk mixture, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, about 30-35 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 24 rectangles, approximately 1 x 3-3/4 inches each.

 Recipe Source: http://hungryrabbitnyc.com/2010/12/rugetella/

Sarabeth’s Rugelach

This recipe comes from Sarabeth’s restaurant in NYC…I got it in the old Cuisine magazine in the very early 80’s and I have been making them ever since. Two years ago I lost my written recipe…never found it. I have been making them for so long I remembered the ingredients but I had to write the directions myself. I hope they are clear. I have used raspberry and apricot preserves, but they are just not the same as with the plum. I have also replaced the nuts with mini-chocolate chips. But in the end when made exactly as the recipe is written they are really, really good. DO NOT OVER WORK THIS DOUGH. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to three days and you can also freeze the dough for those rugelach emergencies....

 1 cup butter softened

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
½ cup + 2 T. sugar divided
½ t. vanilla
¼ t. salt
2 cups flour
¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup currants
2 T. cinnamon
½ cup plum preserves (I usually use Bonne Maman Damson Plum,as that is the only plum I can ever find)
Confectioners’ sugar

Pre-Heat oven to 350*

Mix Cinnamon with 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.

Cream together butter and cream cheese, add 2 T. sugar, vanilla, salt ,and flour…I use my hand mixer for this…you could use a processor or the big stand mixer if you want.

Turn out on board and knead quickly until just together and smooth…

Divide into 3 pieces, press each piece into disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or overnight

Roll disc out into a 10 inch or 12 inch circle…don’t worry if the edges are uneven. I use a marble slab for this but a clean counter will work as well.

Spread 1/3 of the jam, the cinnamon sugar, nuts and currants over dough. Leave a 1 inch border without filling around circle. You can roll over filling with rolling pin to press into dough…you don’t have to though

With a long sharp knife or bench knife cut into 12 pie shaped pieces.

Roll each piece into a crescent, long end toward the point. Place on a parchment lined (or silpat) baking sheet . Turn the edges in so it looks like a crescent.

Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on rack…dust liberally with powdered sugar. I usually sift the sugar over them while they are on the Rack…I place the rack over a baking sheet to catch the sugar.

Also the Bonne Maman jam has lots of chunks of fruit, if you want to be very precise you can whizz the jam in the processor until smooth....I tend to just work around the chunks...it is your call! One word of caution...the cinnamon sugar in this recipe makes a whole lot. I do not use it all. I eyeball it...so use your own discretion when you sprinkle it on. I probably use about two Tablespoons or so of the mixture for each round of dough...

These are really nice to give as a gift...you will be da bomb if you do, I promise!

Recipe Source: http://linda-howtocookawolf.blogspot.com/2008/10/sarabeths-rugelach.html

Cranberry-Pecan Rugelach

Recipe courtesy Wayne Harley Brachman

Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Dough:

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

8 ounces cream cheese

2 cups all-purpose or pastry flour

Directions:

With electric mixer (beater), cream together butter and cream cheese. With mixer on low, gradually add in flour. Form into 3 squat disks. Wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Filling:

1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)

1 cup lightly toasted, chopped pecans

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg mixed with 2 tablespoons water to make a wash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, cover the cranberries with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool. Drain. In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into a 10-inch circles. Paint with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the sugar/nut mixture and cranberries. With a pizza wheel, cut into 12 wedges. Roll up the wedges and line them up on a parchment lined or nonstick cookie sheet. Paint the rugelach with the egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes or set and light golden.

Recipe Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/wayne-harley-brachman/cranberry-pecan-rugelach-recipe/index.html

Rugelach Two Ways

From Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food

For the dough * :

4 oz (100 g) unsalted butter, softened

4 oz (100 g) cream cheese

½ cup (125 ml) sour cream (I used 0% fat fromage frais)

Pinch of salt

1 ¾ cups (250 g) flour

1 egg yolk + 1 Tbs milk to glaze

For the filling **:

Superfine or light brown sugar

Ground cinnamon

Mini-chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, semi-sweet or dark

Jelly or jam of your choice

About ½ cup (50 g) chopped pecans or walnuts

Raisins

* I doubled the recipe to make twice the Rugelach and, after making the dough, having about ¼ flour left over, exactly the amount I needed to roll out all of the circles of dough.

** Any or all of these filling ingredients, depending on what you like. If using jelly, you obviously do not need sugar, which I only used for the chocolate/nut filling. I did not use raisins, but know that they would be delicious, as well. Any combo will do!

Make the dough:

I measured out the ingredients.

Whip the butter until creamy in either a food processor or, as I did, in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer.

I have yet to figure out how to cream butter without it all getting stuck in the beaters.

Add the cream cheese, the sour cream and a pinch of salt and blend well until smooth.

Add part of the flour and mix. Gradually add more and more flour, mixing after each addition, until you have a smooth dough that holds together. (If you add all of the flour and it is too dry, add a bit more sour cream until you have a dough that holds together and is easy to handle).

Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead ever so slightly, just until smooth. This dough is soft if not a tad sticky. As I said, I doubled this recipe and had the perfect dough and still quite a bit of unused flour. I just used this flour for my work surface.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Make the Rugelach:

Remove the dough from the fridge. If, as I did, you doubled the dough, divide the dough in two and rewrap one half and put it back into the fridge to stay firm.

Divide the (remaining) dough in 4 equal pieces.

Working one piece at a time, roll the dough into a ball then flatten it a bit onto the floured work surface. Sprinkle the top with some more flour so the rolling pin doesn’t stick to the dough and roll, turning and rolling inch by inch, into the largest, thinnest circle possible, flouring underneath the dough and brushing the top with more flour as needed.

Spread a couple of tablespoons of jelly or jam in a thin coat all over the disc with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

With a large, sharp knife dipped in flour, slice the disc into 8 wedges. Roll each wedge up tightly, starting with the wide end. Take the last ½ inch (1 cm) of tip, scraping off any jelly and nuts, and pull slightly out and press the tip onto the cookie to make sure it sticks and doesn’t open up during baking.

Place the tiny pastries onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet forming each into a crescent shape, pressing the edges down.

Once all the pastries are lined up on the cookie sheet(s), brush each crescent with the egg wash. The dough is sticky, so you may just find yourself dabbing the egg wash on then brushing lightly.

Pop into the preheated oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until they are golden.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from the parchment paper to cool completely on cooling racks.

Jelly (I made both cherry and blackberry)-pecan Rugelach

Follow the same procedure for the chocolate chip-chopped nut Rugelach, sprinkling the dough first rather generously with the light brown sugar (remember that the dough has no sugar in it, and the first Rugelach were sweetened with the jelly) before putting the mini-chips or chopped chocolate and the chopped nuts on the disc, cutting, rolling up, brushing with egg wash and baking.

Recipe Source: http://lifesafeast.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-ways.html

Best-Ever Rugelach

The Washington Post, December 12, 2007

• Course: Dessert
• Features: Holiday (Hanukkah)

Summary:

After making and creating tons of rugelach recipes for years, baker Marcy Goldman still ranks this one at the top of the heap. The dough needs 1 to 2 hours' refrigeration time.

STORE: Baked rugelach are best kept between layers of wax paper and loosely covered with aluminum foil (the object is to keep the pastries dry; do not store under a cake dome or closed container). The rich dough freezes well for up to 4 months; freeze unbaked rugelach on a baking sheet until they are firm, then transfer to heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage freezer bags; there is no need to defrost them before baking.

Makes 48 pieces

Ingredients:

For the dough

• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups sour cream
• 4 1/2 cups flour, plus more for the work surface

For the filling

• 1 1/3 cups raspberry or apricot jam
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cups finely chopped nuts (optional)
• 4 cups raisins, plumped in warm water for 10 minutes, then dried

For assembly

• 1 large egg
• Pinch sugar
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

For the dough: Combine the melted butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, sour cream and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low speed until a ball forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll in a bit of additional flour, as necessary, to make a soft but manageable dough. Divide into 4 portions, press each into a flattened disk and wrap in wax paper. Place them in a large resealable plastic food storage bag; seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stack 2 large baking sheets together and line the top sheet with parchment paper. You will need to repeat this procedure for each batch.

For the filling: Roll out each portion of dough into a 12-inch circle on a well-floured work surface. Smear on the jam, covering the surface of the dough, and then evenly sprinkle on the brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts, if using, and raisins. Use a pastry or pizza wheel to cut the dough into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge snugly and place on the lined baking sheet.

For assembly: Whisk together the egg and sugar in a small bowl; brush the rugelach with the egg wash. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastries are nicely browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Recipe Source:

Adapted from Goldman's "A Passion for Baking" (Oxmoor House, 2007).

Recipe Source: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2007/12/12/best-ever-rugelach/