Cream Cheese Rugelach with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar
Rugelach are great for brunch and make a beautiful addition to a holiday cookie tray. The recipe is from “Meatballs and Matzah Balls: Recipes and Reflections from a Jewish and Italian Life” by Marcia Friedman (Elsa Jacob Publishing, 2013). Makes 48 pastries Dough: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1⁄2 cups flour (about) Filling: 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 1⁄4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1 ⁄2 cup apricot preserves, room temperature Topping: 11⁄2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Eggwash: 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
Make dough: In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and light. Add sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in flour until just combined. Dough will be very sticky. Add a little additional flour if needed to make it cohesive.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place 1 ball on a large piece of plastic wrap, gently press into a disk shape, and then wrap in plastic. Repeat with the other 3 balls. Refrigerate 1 hour or freeze 20 minutes.
Filling: Combine granulated and brown sugars, cinnamon and pecans.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove 1 dough disk from refrigerator; unwrap and place on a floured surface. Gently roll into an approximate 9-inch circle. Spread a generous 1⁄2 tablespoon apricot preserves over dough to about 1⁄4 inch from the edge. Sprinkle evenly with a scant 1⁄2 cup of the brown sugar filling and gently press. Cut the circle into 12 wedges. Starting at the wide edge, roll up each triangle. Place the formed pastries seam side down on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate about 20 minutes or freeze about 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make topping: Combine sugar and cinnamon.
Brush each pastry with the egg and milk mixture, and sprinkle lightly with sugar-cinnamon topping.
Bake in preheated oven 25 to 35 minutes, until well-browned. Remove from oven and let rest on cookie sheet 2 to 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Note: Assembled pastries can be frozen and baked at a later time. Defrost partially before placing in oven, and allow extra time for baking.