Rugelach

This season has been a little hectic. Hard to find my feet the last 6 weeks, so not a lot of baking, just a lot of getting up, going through the paces, rinse and repeat. I'd forgotten the comfort of baking. But if there is comfort in baking, there is even more comfort in cream cheese and baking and so Rugelach seemed called for. Our homestay student, Bonnie, was very impressed with these as she'd never seen Rugelach before, and I've got to say they look very pretty (and my permanent kids were pretty keen as well). As they are so tiny you can scarf down quite a lot while pretending you're being very good for only eating very-small-pastries! Please don't forget to egg-wash them. I forgot with the middle batch and they just look very utilitarian, which is the last thing you want with such lovely delicate little things.

Cream Cheese Dough

1 cup of salted butter, at room temperature
one tub of cream cheese (about 250 grams)
2 cups of flour

Fillings

You can vary the fillings, anything from poppy seed to cinnamon and walnuts to raspberry jam. Inspired by Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, I've got for a jam-chocolate-nut combo here (though for Hamantaschen, which is pretty much the same dough, I prefer apricot jam).

2/3 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
sprinkling of chopped walnuts
about one chocolate chip per tiny triangle, or a small handful (depending on your hands! I've got small hands, so if you've got great big mits, then half a handful).

Beat the butter and cream cheese until thoroughly combined. Add the flour until just blended. Put the dough onto a big piece of cling-film and pat into 2 flat wheel shapes and refrigerate. Don't think you can skip refrigeration because the dough is impossible to work with at room temperature. Wrap the dough up tight and leave in the fridge for at least two hours.

Assembling the Rugelach

Preheat your oven to 350. Warm your jam in a little saucepan as it's easier to spread this way. Now mix the cinnamon sugar together and get out your walnuts (pre-chopped into fairly fine pieces) and chocolate chips. Put parchment paper on your cookie sheets because the jam will stick like a bugger if you don't and you will bitterly regret it. Regret should not be associate with Rugelach!

Roll your first wheel out until fairly thin. Spread with the jam, sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar (remember, there's no sugar in the dough), press some walnuts in and then your chocolate chips. Divide the dough (I find a pizza wheel works best but if you don't have one then use a knife) into 16 sections. (Roll the wheel across to divide into two, then another direction to divide it into four sections, now begin dividing those sections until you have 16). Roll each section from the outside in until you have an almost croissant shaped rugelach (see photo). *Paint the rugelach with a wash of one egg yolk mixed with a scant teaspoon of water* Pop the cookies into the oven for about 20 minutes.

Once they are lovely and dark-golden take them out and let cool a few minutes as the jam is piping hot and will burn.