Rugelach with Apricot Preserves

Over Spring Break I did a lot of baking and cooking and one of the recipes I tired was homemade rugelach. I was watching the Foodnetwork and Ina Garten made these very delicious-looking rugelach cookies. Rugelach in general is very similar to mandle bread  (recipe posted below). The dough is very rich because it is made with cream cheese and the nuts and jelly really spice it up. It was fun to roll out the dough and cut it into triangles in order to roll them up into the traditional shape of rugelach. My whole family loved them and all the cookies were gone in 3 days.

Rugelach with Apricot Preserves

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temp

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temp

1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed in a food processor

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and airy. Add 1/4 cup granulates su

gar, 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, 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 filli

ng lightly into the dough with the rolling pin. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges- cutting the whole circle into 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 over to 350 degrees.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar with 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.