Apple Butter Rugelach Food

APPLE BUTTER RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the butter and cream cheese and mix on low speed. The dough will get crumbly and then start to come together. Mix until the dough is just combined. Alternately, this can be done in a bowl with a pastry cutter.
• Shape the mixture into a large rectangle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
• When ready to prepare the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut dough into 4 equally-sized pieces. On a floured surface (or in between sheets of parchment paper) roll out one piece of dough at a time into a 12-inch by 4-inch rectangle. Spread apple butter evenly over the dough, leaving 1/2" around the edges. Sprinkle evenly with pecans.
• Working from the long end, gently roll the dough into a 12-inch long log, making sure seam is at the bottom. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to rechill the dough (this will also help you make cleaner cuts. You can also wrap the dough plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months at this point).
• Remove from the freezer. Brush the dough log with milk, and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces, about 1" each. Place upright on lined baking sheets.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers, they also freeze really well.

APPLE BUTTER RUGELACH

Steps:

• 1. Sift the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. 2. Add cream cheese and butter and blend with a hand mixer until just combined. Shape into a ball with your hands and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. Seal and refrigerate for 2 hours up to overnight. 3. Remove dough from the refrigerator when ready to bake, cut into two even pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 12"x4" rectangle.4. Spoon ¼ cup apple butter onto each rectangle of dough and spread evenly leaving a border of about ⅓" of bare dough around the perimeter. 5. Sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over the apple butter on each piece of dough. 6. Roll the dough working with the long end and rolling towards you creating a 12" log. Place seam side down on parchment paper and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.7. Preheat oven to 350°F/175℃. 8. Remove dough from the freezer, cut into 1-inch pieces using a sharp knife and place seam side down on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. 9. Brush each piece with milk then sprinkle evenly with remaining cinnamon and sugar. 10. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and store in an airtight container.

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.

APPLE BUTTER RUGELACH

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: In a stand mixer or in a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, on medium, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and beat until just combined. Don't overwork it. Tip the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it together into a ball, using the wrap to help. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 6-inch circle and wrap each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. (Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.)
• In a small bowl, mix together the apple butter, honey, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
• On a floured surface, roll one slab of dough out to a 11-inch circle with neat edges. (If, at any point, the dough becomes too soft, you can transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop it in the fridge for a few minutes.) Spread half of the apple butter mixture on the top of the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Sprinkle with half of the walnuts and half of the currants. With a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 equal triangles. Starting from the wide end, gently roll each triangle up and tuck the end under. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough, apple butter mixture, nuts and dried fruit, and transfer to another prepared sheet. Refrigerate until cold, about 15 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush each cookie with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until they are puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets once. Transfer the sheets to a rack to cool.