Un Rugelach Mini Turnovers Food

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.

RUGELACH

Steps:

• Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine.
• Add the chunks of butter and cream cheese, as well as the egg yolk. Pulse until the dough is moistened and crumbly with curd-like pieces about the size of peas. Dump the dough out onto a work surface. Knead just until it comes together and shape into a square or rectangle. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and flatten into 1-inch thick discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Wipe out the food processor. To make the filling, place the brown sugar, granulated sugar, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon in the bowl of the food processor and pulse until the walnuts and raisins are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until the dough is ready.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF and set two oven racks in the centermost positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it and place it on a lightly floured work surface. (If necessary, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until pliable enough to roll, but not too soft.) Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll it into a 10 - 11-inch circle, or just under an ⅛-inch thick. Sprinkle more flour and turn as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Spread ½ cup of the filling over the dough; using your hands, press the filling into the dough to anchor it.
• Using a pizza cutter or very sharp knife, cut the dough into twelve equal wedges (just like you would cut a pizza). Roll each wedge up, beginning with the wide end and ending with the point. Place the rolls point-side down, about an inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should have 24 rugelach on each baking sheet.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through, or until the tops are lightly golden and the bottoms are golden and crisp (at first glance, it might look like the bottoms are burnt, but that's just the dark filling oozing out). Transfer the rugelach to a rack to cool.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The Dough can be Frozen for up to 3 Months: Shape the dough into 2 discs, wrap each securely in plastic wrap, and place them in a sealable bag. When ready to bake, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight, and then proceed with recipe. They can also be assembled and frozen before baking: Arrange them on a baking sheet (so they're not touching) and freeze until very firm. Transfer them to an airtight container. They can be baked directly out of the freezer; they may just need a few extra minutes in the oven. To Freeze After Baking: Let the rugelach cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove them from the container and let them come to room temperature.

UN-RUGELACH MINI TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Food Processor Method
• In a food processor with the metal blade, place the cream cheese and butter and process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides once or twice. Add the sugar and vanilla and process for a few seconds to incorporate them. Add the flour and salt and pulse just until the dough starts to clump together.
• Electric Mixer Method
• In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the flour and salt just until incorporated
• Both Methods
• Scrape the dough into a piece of plastic wrap and press it together to form a ball. Place the dough in a bowl, cover it well, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
• Make the Filling
• In a medium bowl, with a fork, stir together the sugars, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts until well mixed.
• Using a 1 1/4 inch cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, scoop out level measures of dough, placing them on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate the dough. Remove one piece of dough and roll it quickly between floured palms to form a ball. Dust it well with flour and place it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use the flat bottom of a tumbler to press the ball flat and then a light rolling pin to roll it into a 3 1/2-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and spread rounded 1/2 tablespoons of apricot lekvar or preserves evenly over the dough, almost to the edge. Carefully place 2 teaspoons of the nut mixture on one half of the dough circle, leaving a narrow border. Use the plastic wrap to lift the other half of the dough up and over the filling to encase it. Leaving the plastic wrap in place, press along the border of the dough to seal in the filling. Remove the plastic wrap, brush away any excess flour, and place the turnover on a prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches between each turnover. For the best shape, cover the turnovers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. at least 15 minutes before baking. Set the oven racks so that they divide the oven into thirds.
• In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
• With a pastry brush or feather, brush each turnover with milk and sprinkle evenly with the sugar and cinnamon topping.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. For even baking, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and back to front halfway through the baking period. Use a small pancake turner to transfer the turnovers to wire racks to cool completely.
• Store
• Airtight, room temperature, up to 5 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
• Understanding
• This cream cheese dough can be more fragile and tender than the one used for pies and tarts (it contains no water to develop gluten), because it does not need strength due to the small size of the pastries.