Chocolate Beet Rugelach

By StephanieRM85

Ingredients

• For Dough:
• 3 medium beets, greens removed, cleaned well
• 1 tablespoon oil (canola, vegetable, or olive oil will work)
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into chunks
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• For Chocolate Filling:
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup milk for wash

Preparation

Step 1

1. First, roast your beets. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Place beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil. Wrap well and roast in the oven for 30-60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.

2. When the beets are fork tender, let them cool slightly and then rub off the skin with a paper towel or your hands.

3. In a food processor, purée beets until then are very fine. Measure out 2/3 cup. If you have more beets, save them for salads or just nosh on them as you bake.

4. To make the dough, cream together butter, cream cheese, and 2/3 cup puréed beets in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix it up until all ingredients combine to form a sticky dough.

5. Divide the dough into four even balls. Flatten them into disks, wrap in Saran Wrap, and chill for two hours or overnight.

6. To make the filling, combine sugar, cinnamon, chocolate, and salt.

7. Roll out each ball of dough on a floured surface into a circle, keeping the other balls in the refrigerator until you are ready for them.

8. Brush a thin layer of cooled, melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with the chocolate mixture.

9. Cut the circle into 12 triangles. Roll up each triangle from the wide end, and secure the tip into the cookie so you have a little spiral. Place cookies on a foil-lined cookie sheet, wash with milk, sprinkle with more sugar, and refrigerate for one hour.

10. Preheat oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool on a cooling rack. These freeze well, too.