Almond Spice Rugelach Food

ALMOND SPICE RUGELACH

Steps:

• Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar and salt in bowl; cut in 1 cup butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Cut in cream cheese until well mixed. Stir in sour cream until mixture forms soft dough. Form dough into ball. Cover; refrigerate 4 hours.
• Combine all filling ingredients in bowl; set aside.
• Remove dough from refrigerator; soften 15 minutes at room temperature.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets; set aside.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces; form each piece into ball. Place 1 ball on lightly floured surface; flatten slightly. Roll into 9-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup filling mixture over dough; gently press into dough. Cut circle into 12 wedges with large sharp knife. Roll up each wedge tightly, from wide end to point, forming crescent. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
• Place crescents, point-side down, 1 inch apart onto prepared cookie sheets; curve slightly. Brush each crescent with beaten egg white; sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 22-25 minutes or until light golden brown.

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.

APRICOT-ALMOND RUGELACH

Steps:

• Dough: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, salt, and butter until butter breaks into pea-size pieces. Add cream cheese and process just until incorporated and a mass of dough is formed. Do not overmix or dough will be tough.
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead a couple times to bring dough into a cohesive mass. Divide dough in half and form two flat, round discs; wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for 45 minutes. (At this point, dough can be frozen for several months.)
• Filling: Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin, then roll one disc of dough into a 16-inch round (add more flour to prevent sticking). Evenly spread half the jam in a thin layer, stopping 1 inch from the edge of the dough. Sprinkle half the sugar over the top, followed by half the almonds.
• Assembly: Trim the outer edge of the dough to make a clean circle all around. Cut dough like a pizza into 12 triangles. Beginning at the wide end, roll up each triangle; place formed rugelach on parchment-lined sheet trays, pointed edge down. Repeat with remaining disc of dough. Freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Bake rugelach until golden, 25-35 minutes. Remove to a wire rack, let cool, and serve.

ALMOND TOFFEE RUGELACH

Steps:

• Remove pie crust sleeves from box, and let sit on counter for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Have two cookie sheets ready, lined with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon & sugar; set aside.
• Spoon the almond paste into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 10-15 seconds. Stir; add 1-2 tablespoons of water and stir again. If paste is still too thick, microwave again for about 10 seconds. Stir well & make sure the paste is spreadable, adding a little more water if necessary, but mixture should not be too thin or runny (it should look like thick mashed potatoes).
• On a lightly floured board, unroll one of the pie crusts and roll lightly with a rolling pin to even out the dough.
• Spread about half of the almond paste to within about 1/2" of the edge of the dough; sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, then sprinkle about half of the toffee bits.
• Cut the dough into 16 wedges with a pizza cutter (quarter the dough, then cut each quarter in half, and then half again).
• Roll up each wedge, starting at the wide end. Place cookie, point underneath, on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Brush each cookie with egg wash & sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Repeat above steps with the other roll of pie crust dough.
• Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove cookies onto a cooling rack to cool completely.