Peanutty Chocolate Raspberry Rugelach Food

RON'S RASPBERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• For the classic cream cheese dough: Combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Switch to low speed and gradually add in the flour. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl and beater to make sure it is well mixed. The dough will be sticky. Divide the dough into three portions, wrap each in plastic wrap and flatten to a disk. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
• For the filling: Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Chop the almonds to small bits and toss with the raisins and sugar-cinnamon mixture.
• To assemble the rugelach: Dust the work surface with the flour and roll each dough portion to a 10-inch circle. Lightly brush each circle with the melted butter. Spread a third of the preserves or jam on each circle, leaving a clearance of 1/4-inch on the perimeter so the filling won't ooze out while baking. Sprinkle a third of the almond-raisin-sugar mixture on top of the preserves and press in slightly to help adhere.
• Using a pizza wheel, divide each circle into four quarters. Divide each quarter into three thin triangles, for a total of 12 wedges. Roll each triangle from the curved side to the point and place on a parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheet. Refrigerate the sheets for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Note: The rugelach can be frozen on the trays and then stored in a zip-top bag in the freezer for baking fresh later.
• Carefully brush each rugelach with the egg wash, trying to avoid drips. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until deep golden. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Crush the cookies until they're fine crumbs. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into a pie pan and bake until set, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
• For the filling: Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed whipped topping and beat until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
• Pour the filling into the crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

RASPBERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• On medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour until dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon. Divide dough into two pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll out one dough piece into 12x8" rectangle. Brush with 2 T. preserves, leaving 1/2" border on long sides. Evenly sprinkle half of sugar-raisin mixture over preserves. Starting with one long side, roll up dough jellyroll style. Repeat with remaining dough, preserves and sugar-raising mixture.
• Brush tops of dough logs with egg. Cut into 1"-wide slices. Place slices, glazed side up, 1-1/2" apart on baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned and baked through in center. Cool on pans on racks. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

RASPBERRY & WHITE CHOCOLATE RUGELACH

Steps:

• Beat the soft cheese and butter together with an electric whisk or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until combined. Add the caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Gradually add the flour, beating on a low setting until just incorporated, or use a spatula or spoon to avoid overworking the dough. You may need to add a little more flour if it's very sticky.
• Lightly press the dough into a ball and divide into quarters. Roll each quarter into a ball, then wrap and press into a flat disc. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins to firm up a little.
• Dust a work surface with flour and and roll one of the discs into a large circle. Use the base of a 23cm cake tin or plate as a template to cut out a 23cm circle. Spread a heaped tablespoon of raspberry jam thinly over the circle, then sprinkle over a fifth of the chocolate.
• Divide the dough into eight wedges with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Roll each wedge from the wider, outside edge to the thinnest point, tucking the point under. You can then curl the dough to make a crescent shape, if you like. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, allowing 1-2cm between each. Chill in the fridge until firm, about 30 mins. Repeat with the remaining dough, jam and chocolate - you should have enough offcuts from each ball of dough to combine and make a fifth circle.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush each rugelach with the egg glaze and bake, in batches if needed, for 20-25 mins until lightly browned, then leave to cool on a wire rack.
• If making the decoration, tip the white chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl with the vegetable oil. Microwave in 30-second blasts until melted, stirring with a spatula between each blast. Drizzle over the cooled rugelach and sprinkle over the freeze-dried raspberries before the chocolate hardens.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a food processor, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine all the dough ingredients. Process or beat until it becomes dough-like. (In a food processor the mixture will form a ball, and stick together. With a mixer, it just turns into dough. Don't over beat.) Put aside.
• Now, in your food processor, combine all the filling ingredients and process until finely chopped. If you don't have a processor, you can do this in a blender -- just make sure you stop and scrape and sides down several times so that everything is evenly ground.
• Cut the dough into 4 pieces and dust each one with flour. Dust the counter or tabletop with flour, too. Roll a piece of dough into a circle, approximately 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter. Handle the dough gently, and don't be afraid to sprinkle it with more flour to prevent it from sticking to the counter or the rolling pin. Cover the entire surface of this circle with some of the filling in a thin, even layer. Using a pizza cutter (or a sharp knife) cut the circle into 8 wedges, pizza-style. Roll each wedge up -- starting at the wide, outside edge -- rolling firmly toward the point. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, bending slightly to form a crescent. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.
• Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned on top, but not burnt on the bottom.

GRANDMA'S RASPBERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat margarine, sugar, vanilla and salt on medium-low until combined. Slowly beat in whipping cream. Gradually beat in enough flour until dough is no longer sticky. Divide dough into four portions, then flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 12-in. circle; spread each with 1/4 cup raspberry jam. Cut each circle into 16 wedges., Gently roll up wedges from the wide ends. Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, point side down. Bake 25-30 minutes or until light golden. Remove to wire racks to cool., If desired, combine confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled rugelach.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT SWEETIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat peanut butter and butter until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar until combined. Shape into 1-in. balls; press one on each pretzel. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until peanut butter mixture is set, about 1 hour. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and oil; stir until smooth. Dip the peanut butter ball into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Return to baking sheet, pretzel side down. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

PEANUTTY CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• 1. Place cream cheese, butter and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat on high until smooth and creamy. Beat in flour, on low, until combined. Form dough into a flat disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• 2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir peanuts with chocolate chips, sugar and cinnamon. Upon removing from refrigerator, if dough is too firm to roll, let stand for about 10 minutes before moving on to the next step.
• 3. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll dough very thinly into a circle, about 15 inches (38 cm) in size and about ?-inch (3-mm) thick.
• 4. Scantly spread dough with jam to cover, then sprinkle with nut mixture. Cut dough into wedges like a pie - for larger cookies, cut into 16 wedges, and for smaller cookies, cut into 24 wedges.
• 5. Tightly roll each dough wedge from wide edge to point to enclose filling. Place on baking sheet. Whisk egg yolk with milk and brush tops of cookies.
• 6. Bake in centre of preheated oven until lightly browned, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on rack.