Dried Cherry and Chocolate Rugalach (TNT)
These are outrageously wonderful and a bit of work. It is why I usually double the recipe--sometimes even triple it. If I am going to go to all that bother I want more than two dozen cookies. Very impressive cookie.
Dried Cherry and Chocolate Rugalach
(a recipe found in my mom's handwriting)
Yields: 2 dozen cream cheese pastry
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces sweet unsalted butter, at toom temperature
1 Tablespoon sour cream or plain yogurt
1 -1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt (I just use a pinch as there is salt in the cream cheese)
3 ounces pitted dried cherries
1 cup chopped walnuts or skinned hazelnuts
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
4 teaspoons good quality cherry jam
powdered sugar
Directions:
In a food processor or with a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, the butter and sour cream until smooth; add flour and salt and process until a dough forms. Divide in half and form two 5-inch disks; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while making the filling.
Place the remaining ingredients exept the jam and powdered sugar in food processor and process until finely chopped, resembling a paste.
Remove dough from refrigerator, to a floured work surface and roll each disk into a 9-inch circle. Sporead each circle with 2 teaspoons of cherry jam. Pat half of cherry mixture onto each circle. With a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge and place, point side down, on baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Watch them so they do not burn and remove each one as it becomes done. Cool on wire racks; dust with powdered sugar.
These are outrageously wonderful and a bit of work. It is why I usually double the recipe--sometimes even triple it. If I am going to go to all that bother I want more than two dozen cookies. Very impressive cookie.
Dried Cherry and Chocolate Rugalach
(a recipe found in my mom's handwriting)
Yields: 2 dozen cream cheese pastry
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces sweet unsalted butter, at toom temperature
1 Tablespoon sour cream or plain yogurt
1 -1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt (I just use a pinch as there is salt in the cream cheese)
3 ounces pitted dried cherries
1 cup chopped walnuts or skinned hazelnuts
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
4 teaspoons good quality cherry jam
powdered sugar
Directions:
In a food processor or with a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, the butter and sour cream until smooth; add flour and salt and process until a dough forms. Divide in half and form two 5-inch disks; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while making the filling.
Place the remaining ingredients exept the jam and powdered sugar in food processor and process until finely chopped, resembling a paste.
Remove dough from refrigerator, to a floured work surface and roll each disk into a 9-inch circle. Sporead each circle with 2 teaspoons of cherry jam. Pat half of cherry mixture onto each circle. With a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges. Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge and place, point side down, on baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Watch them so they do not burn and remove each one as it becomes done. Cool on wire racks; dust with powdered sugar.
