CREAM CHEESE RIGELACH

By Mitchell Davis. Recipes from The Mensch Chef (Clarkson Potter, 2002)

Cream Cheese dough

(Makes 4 dozen)

• 6 ounces ( 2 small packages, or 3/4 cup) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound or 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus additional for rolling
• About 2 cups sweet filling
• 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon cold water (egg wash)
• 2 tablespoons crystallized sugar or Sugar in the Raw

Chocolate Filling

(Makes about 1 1/4 cups)

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup unflavored toasted bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup milk or soy milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Lemon and Almond filling

(Makes about 2 cups)

• 1 cup whole almonds (about 6 ounces), with skins on, toasted & cooled (per recipe)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 cup apricot, raspberry, or currant jam, or your preference

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until well combined. Add the flour and mix to form a soft dough. Chill for at least 2 hours before rolling out and shaping. The dough can also be frozen for up to 2 months and defrosted in the refrigerator before using.

To shape, divide the dough into quarters. Refrigerate all but the quarter you are working with. Roll out the first quarter to a 10-inch circle, using a generous amount of flour to keep the dough from sticking. Once the circle is the right size, use a pastry brush to remove any excess flour. If you are using the Lemon and Almond Filling, spread the circle with one quarter of the jam (about 2 tablespoons) and sprinkle with the nuts or raisins (or whatever else you've chosen). If you are using chocolate, just use 1/4 of the batch. Cut the circle into quarters. Divide each of these quarters into three equal isosceles triangles. Roll up each triangle, starting from the base and working toward the point. Bend to shape into crescents and place on a parchment- or silicone-mate-lined cookie sheet, making sure the point of the dough triangle stays tucked underneath. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. You will probably need two cookie sheets to accommodate all of the cookies. Leave about 1- inch between the cookies because they will rise and straighten out while they bake.

Brush the cookies with the egg wash and sprinkle with the crystallized sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough has puffed and the cookies have browned. Some of the filling will no doubt seep out while baking, but not enough to worry about. Using a spatula, remove the rugelach from the pan while they are still warm so the melted jam and/or sugar doesn't harden to the cookie sheet. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Sweet Fillings

Chocolate Filling
Place the sugar, nuts, and bread crumbs in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Process just until the walnuts are ground fine (be careful not to over process). Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the cocoa, melted butter, milk, and vanilla, and stir to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Lemon and Almond filling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread out the almonds on a cookie sheet and set in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until you can smell a strong, toasted nut smell, and the color of the nuts has darkened. Rake the nuts once or twice while they bake to be sure they toast evenly. Cool.

Combine the sugar, almonds, and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Process until the nuts are just finely chopped and uniform. (Be careful not to over process). When it comes time to assemble, spread the dough with the jam and sprinkle generously with the nut mixture.

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