Rugelach Fingers Recipes

RUGELACH

Steps:

• 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 and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges?cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. 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.

RUGELACH III

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Beat in 1/4 cup of sugar and vanilla. Combine the flour and salt; stir until well blended. Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press together to form a ball. Divide the ball into 4 portions, wrap each one in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, toss together the brown sugar, 6 tablespoons white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and the chopped dried apricots. Set aside.
• Roll out each portion of dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the apricot preserves over each circle, then sprinkle each one with some of the dried apricot mixture. Using a knife, cut each circle into 12 wedges like a pizza. Starting at the wide end, roll each piece individually up towards the point. Bend the ends around to form a crescent. If dough is sticky, return it to the refrigerator to chill. Place rugelach point sides down, two inches apart into a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Brush with milk then sprinkle with a mixture of the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake for 16 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden. Rotate the cookie sheet halfway through to ensure even baking. Remove from baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

RUGELACH FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• 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 5hours or overnight.
• Place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the chocolate is very finely chopped, about 7 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Finely chop toasted walnuts by hand, and add to bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, currants, zest, corn syrup, and melted butter, and combine by hand. Beat egg yolk with the water, and set aside.
• Have ready a 9-by-13-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. 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 walnut 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 egg yolk mixture, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 50 to 60 rectangles, each 2 1/2 by 3/4 inches.

CHOCOLATE RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream and 2 tablespoons sugar, mix until combined. Gradually beat in flour. Divide dough into four portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle. , Preheat oven to 350°. Place chocolate, nuts, currants, cinnamon and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine jam and 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on high until thinned, 5-10 seconds; whisk., Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll each into a 10-in. circle on a well floured surface. Brush with one fourth of the jam mixture. Sprinkle with one fourth of the chocolate mixture (about a half cup), pressing lightly to adhere. Cut each into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide ends; place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, point side down. In a small bowl, whisk egg white and remaining 2 teaspoons water; brush over pastries. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar., Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

RUGELACH

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt; beat until combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine after each. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour to combine. Mix in vanilla.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into three equal pieces, and shape into flattened disks; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a food processor, pulse together the walnuts, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the cinnamon, and pinch of salt until finely ground; set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of dough into a 10-inch round about 1/4 inch thick. Brush the top evenly with melted jelly. Sprinkle with a third of the walnut mixture and a third of the currants. Using the rolling pin, gently roll over the round to press the filling into the dough.
• Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the round into 16 equal wedges. Beginning with the outside edge of each wedge, roll up to enclose filling. Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and filling ingredients. Lightly beat the whole egg; brush over tops, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
• Bake two sheets, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining baking sheet. Rugelach can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Rugelach how-to
• Rounds of cookie dough are covered with melted apricot jelly, ground walnuts, and currants, then cut into even wedges.
• The wedges are rolled up around the filling before baking.

RUGELACH FINGERS

Steps:

• Make dough: Place butter and 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 come 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 well in plastic. Refrigerate 5 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• Make filling: Place the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the chocolate is very finely chopped, about 7 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Finely chop toasted walnuts by hand, and add to bowl. Add granulated sugar, cinnamon, currants, zest, corn syrup, and melted butter, and stir to combine.
• Place one rectangle of dough between two large pieces of waxed paper; roll dough into a 9 by 13-inch rectangle. Line prepared baking pan with dough. Spread dough evenly with walnut mixture. Roll remaining rectangle of dough into another 9 by 13-inch rectangle; place on top. Trim the edges of the dough so they are even.
• Make egg wash: Beat egg yolk with the water in a small bowl. Brush the top of dough with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes, rotating halfway through. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into fifty to sixty 2 1/2 by 3/4-inch rectangles. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.