Raspberry Pecan Rugelach Food

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.

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.

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.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well., Divide dough in half; form into two balls. Flatten to 5-in. circles; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., Place currants in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside. Combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside., On a lightly floured surface or pastry mat, roll one portion of dough into an 11-in. circle. Brush with half of the jam. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon-sugar, pecans, chocolate chips and currants; press down gently., Cut into 16 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end and place point side down 2 in. apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Curve ends to form a crescent. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking. Repeat with remaining dough and filling., Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

RASPBERRY LIME RUGALACH

Steps:

• Cut butter into flour then mix it together until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Cut the cream cheese into small cubes and then "rub" into the flour/butter crumbs.
• Knead this mixture until it forms a ball.
• Separate the dough into two equal parts and wrap each part in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours (at least 4).
• To make fruit filling mix the raspberry jam together with sugar with the chopped toasted pecans and grated key lime peel.
• Pre heat oven to 350°F
• Once dough has chilled roll it out each half on a floured surface to about 9 or 10 inches. Then spread each dough circle with jam mixture.
• After you have spread the mixture of jam on the dough circles cut each circle out inot about 10-12 wedges. Then roll each wedge up tightly starting from the widest part of the dough.
• Put cookie rolls on a very lighty greased cookie sheet then brush the cookies with the egg whites and sprinkle with extra nuts. Then bake cookies for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Once cooled sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies.

JOAN NATHAN'S RUGELACH (CINNAMON, CHOCOLATE, OR APRICOT)

Steps:

• To make the dough, place the cream cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment (or a Silpat baking mat).
• Mix the ingredients for the apricot or chocolate filling and divide the dough into 4 balls. On a lightly floured surface roll the balls out into 4 circles about 1/8-inch thick and 9 inches in diameter. Spread the apricot or chocolate filling over the dough. If using the cinnamon-sugar filling, brush the melted butter on first, then sprinkle the combined cinnamon and sugar.
• Using a dull knife, cut each circle into 16 pie-shaped pieces about 2 inches wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to the center. Place the rugelach on the lined cookie sheets. Bake in the oven on the middle and lower racks, switching after 12 minutes, also switching back to front. Continue baking about 13 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the rugelach to racks to cool.
• Sprinkle the apricot and chocolate rugelach with confectioners' sugar just before serving.