Pistachio Apricot Rugelach Food

PISTACHIO AND DRIED-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter with cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour and beat on low until just combined. Divide dough into 3 disks; wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Filling: In a small saucepan, bring apricots, 1 1/3 cups water, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until apricots are tender and most of liquid has been absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer apricot mixture to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Let cool completely. (You should have about 2 cups filling; if not, thin slightly with water, a teaspoon at a time.)
• Meanwhile, finely grind pistachios in food processor. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 10-inch circle, 1/8 inch thick. Spread evenly with 2/3 cup apricot mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ground pistachios. With a pizza wheel, cut circle into quarters, then cut each quarter in half, then in half again, so you have 16 wedges. Starting at outside edge of each wedge, roll up into a crescent shape. Arrange 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar and 1 tablespoon ground pistachios. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer rugelach on sheets to wire racks; let cool completely. Rugelach can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

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 AND PISTACHIO RUGELACH

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add apricots and zest; cover and remove from heat. Set aside 15 minutes to soften. Discard zest; drain apricots, reserving a few tsp of water.
• Add apricots and brandy to a mini chopper or food processor; process until smooth, adding a tsp or two of reserved water, if necessary, to loosen mixture. Set aside to cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Unroll dough onto a large sheet of waxed paper. Press perforations and seams together. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper. Roll to a roughly 8- X 16-inch rectangle.
• Spread dough with apricot mixture, sprinkle with cinnamon and top with pistachios. Cut dough in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 12 strips widthwise to make 24 pieces.
• Roll each piece of dough into a little bundle; arrange on prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes.
• Serving size: 1 cookie

APRICOT PISTACHIO TART

Steps:

• Process 1 cup nuts and the granulated sugar in a food processor to combine. Add butter; process until a paste forms. Add egg, vanilla, and salt; process to combine. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, press edges of both pastry sheets together to form one large sheet. Roll out to a 9-by-17-inch rectangle; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread reserved pistachio mixture over dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border.
• Position rectangle so that a short end is nearest you. Arrange apricots on top in 4 vertical rows, alternating direction in which apricots face from row to row. Fold in edges of dough; use your index finger to make a scalloped border. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together yolk and cream; brush egg wash over edges of tart shell. Chop remaining tablespoon nuts; sprinkle nuts and turbinado sugar over apricots. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and fruit is juicy, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, heat jam with 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until thinned, about 2 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Brush glaze over fruit.

APRICOT & PISTACHIO STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat the oil and 40g of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 15-20 mins or until they are golden and caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Remove from the heat, tip into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool down a little.
• Put half the sourdough into a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Tear the remaining bread into small pieces. Add both to the bowl with the onions and mix through 60g pistachios, the chopped sage, apricots and eggs, then season. Tip into a shallow 30 x 20cm baking dish. Will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hrs. Bake for 20 mins or until golden brown and crunchy on top (check after 10 mins and cover if it's already brown).
• Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan, add the sage leaves and fry until crisp. Pour over the stuffing just before serving. Top with the remaining pistachios.

RUGELACH

Steps:

• Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and cream cheese at medium speed. Add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Add vanilla and salt, and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour. Remove from bowl, and divide into 3 pieces on a lightly floured surface. Pat into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.
• Make the filling: In a food processor, combine walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until fine.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats). On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12-inch round, less than 1/8 inch thick. Brush evenly with jelly. Sprinkle with one-third of the walnut mixture and one-third of the chocolate chips. Using the rolling pin, gently roll over filling to press ingredients into dough.
• Cut the round into 16 equal-sized wedges. Beginning at the base of each wedge, roll to enclose filling, forming crescent shapes. Pinch to seal. Place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and filling ingredients. Brush tops with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

APRICOT-WALNUT RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a food processor, process butter, cream cheese, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt until combined. Add flour and pulse until a dough forms. Divide in half, flatten into disks, and tightly wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours (or overnight).
• In a small pot, bring apricots, brandy, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most of liquid is absorbed, 7 minutes. Transfer to clean food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Stir in walnuts and remaining 2/3 cup sugar.
• Working with 1 disk at a time, on a floured surface, roll out dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread with half the filling, leaving a 1-inch border. Cut into 16 wedges. Starting from outside edge, tightly roll each wedge up; place on parchment-lined baking sheets, seam side down. Lightly brush with egg. Freeze 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.