Rugelach!.....Oh Rugelach! Where have you been all my life?

I think I'm in love! In the midst of all of the year end hustle and bustle I decided to branch out from the normal Holiday treats and try something new. A few weeks ago my friend Karli asked me if I had any good recipes for Rugelach. I had honestly never heard of it but found a recipe that looked absolutely scrumptious. However, it had an ingredient that isn't sold in most stores. Needless to say I went on the hunt for a different but equally tasty recipe.(I think I'm still going to order it some day and try it out.) I found this recipe the other day while looking on Yahoo! Shine in the Food section. Like I said earlier, I had never heard about and/or tried Rugelach and can I just say it's now my new favorite confection! It's everything you want in a sweet little treat. It has lite, flaky dough, tangy fruit filling, crunchy nuts and a bit of chocolate too! So, without further ado....


RUGELACH

For the dough:
12 ounces (1 and a 1/2 packages) cream cheese at room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

For the filling:
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup mixed nuts, such as pecans or almonds
1/2 cup apricot jam


1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Add salt and vanilla, and mix until light and well blended. Add flour and mix until just incorporated.

2. Divide dough into four equal parts. Form the parts in balls and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

3. In a food processor fitted with the blade, pulse together brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and nuts until the nuts are finely chopped. Set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5. Roll one ball of dough until it is about 8-9 inches in diameter. I like to use GLAD Press 'n Seal wrap when rolling out any kind of dough. Just pull a large enough sheet out to give yourself enough room to roll out your dough for whatever you're making. Place the tacky side on the counter and press one half of it down. Place the ball of dough on the side that is stuck to the counter and fold the other half of the Press 'n Seal wrap over.






6. Warm the jam in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Spread 2 tablespoons of it on the dough, followed by 1/3 cup of the brown sugar mixture, and 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. With a rolling pin, gently press the filling into the dough.





7. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the round into 12 equal wedges like a pizza. Starting with the outside of each wedge, roll up and place each cookie, with the point on the bottom, on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (I used my Silpat baking mat instead of parchment paper.)




8. Mix together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Brush cookies with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

9. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until the corners start to brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transfering to a cooling rack.



This recipe has definitely made in to my Holiday Cookie repetoire and hopefully you'll give it a shot too! :)