Rugelach

By patticakes

We added this traditionally Jewish cookie to our Italian custom to celebrate new family members. And besides, they are yummy.

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese Pastry
• 1/2 pound butter
• 1/2 pound cream cheese
• 1/2 ts salt
• 2 cups sifted flour
• Filling
• 1/2 cup plus 2 TBS granulated sugar
• 3 ts cinnamon
• 3 TBS melted butter
• 3/4 cup currants
• 5 oz (1 1/4 cups) finely chopped walnuts.
• Stir the cinnamon and sugar together and set aside.

Preparation

Step 1

Cream Cheese Pastry
Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the salt and add flour on low speed. When the dough is smooth form it into a short fat roll (use your hands.) Divide the roll into 3 pieces. Form each piece into a round ball, flatten it slightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Filling
Stir the cinnamon and sugar together and set aside.

Place one ball of dough on a floured pastry cloth. Use a floured rolling pin to pound the dough firmly to soften it. Then roll out the dough, tuning occasionally, into a 12 inch circle. With a pastry brush, brush the dough with 1 TBS of the melted butter and quickly sprinkle with 1/3 of the sugar- cinnamon mixture. Then sprinkle with 1/3 of the currants and nuts. Use the rolling pin to lightly press the filling into the dough.

With a long, sharp knife, cut into 12 pie shaped wedges. (I use a pizza cutter). Roll each wedge from the outside toward the point. Place each roll, point side down, 1 inch apart on ungreased oookie sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Glaze the horns with 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 ts of water. Bake two sheets at a time for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a rack.