Pecan Apricot Rugelach Recipes

RUGELACH II

Steps:

• To Make Filling: Combine pecans, 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, soften butter and cream cheese. Add flour and sugar, blend well. Divide dough into (4) pieces.
• Roll each into a ball and dust each with flour, shake off excess. With a rolling pin, roll each piece between sheets of waxed paper into a 10 inch circle. Stack circles and refrigerate at least one hour.
• Preheat over to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
• Spread each circle of dough with light layer of apricot jam/preserves. Divide nut filling among circles, spread evenly. Cut each circle into 12 pie shaped wedges. Roll wedges from wide edge to point. Place on baking sheets point side down.
• Bake 12 - 15 minutes.

APRICOT-PECAN RUGELACH

Steps:

• 1. To make the dough, in a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed until blended. With the mixer running, add the cream cheese and butter and mix until large clumps of dough form. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until just blended.
• 2. Divide the soft, sticky dough into 4 equal portions. Gather each portion into a ball and flatten into a disk 4 inches in diameter. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 1/2 hours or for up to overnight.
• 3. Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 375F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 4. Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator. Lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch round. To add the filling, using a narrow offset spatula, spread 2 tablespoons of the preserves evenly over the dough, leaving a 3/4 inch boarder. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoon of the raisins and 1/4 cup of the pecans, and press them gently into the dough.
• 5. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 equal wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge tightly to the pointed end. Place point side down and 1 inch apart on a prepared baking sheet. Bend the edges slightly to curve inward, forming a crescent. When all the crescents are formed, brush the top of each with cream. Sprinkle the tops lightly with the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the 3 remaining dough portions and filling and topping ingredients, filling both baking sheets.
• 6. Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until the bottoms are light brown and the edges are golden, 22-25 minutes. let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 48 cookies.

PECAN-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• To make Cinnamon-Sugar Dough: In food processor, combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add vinegar and 1 tablespoon ice-cold water, pulsing until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add remaining water, 1 teaspoon at a time). Do not overmix.
• Shape dough into 1-inch-thick disk, then roll between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ⅛ inch thick. Combine cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; sprinkle over rolled dough and gently roll in. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
• To make Pecan-Apricot Rugelach: Heat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread Cinnamon-Sugar Dough with cream cheese. Combine pecans, sugar and apricot preserves; spread over cream cheese.
• Cut dough into two pieces and roll each half into long log. Brush each log with egg and cut into ¾-inch-thick pieces. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

PISTACHIO-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Cut the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; square off the edges. Refrigerate the dough rectangles until firm, at least 20 minutes.
• Make the filling: Spread 3 tablespoons apricot preserves on each dough rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Toss the pistachios, dried apricots, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the preserves and press in gently.
• Starting with the jam-covered long side, roll up each dough rectangle into a tight log. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the logs with the beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut the logs into 1-inch-thick rounds. Arrange seam-side down on the prepared pan, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan.

JOAN NATHAN'S RUGELACH (CINNAMON, CHOCOLATE, OR APRICOT)

Steps:

• To make the dough, place the cream cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment (or a Silpat baking mat).
• Mix the ingredients for the apricot or chocolate filling and divide the dough into 4 balls. On a lightly floured surface 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 sprinkle the combined cinnamon and sugar.
• Using a dull knife, cut each circle 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 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.