Spiced Prune Rugelach Recipes

GOLDEN RUGELACH

Steps:

• For the dough: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse sand with some pea-size pieces of butter, about 20 pulses. Add the cream cheese and sour cream and pulse until it comes together in a rough dough, with some uneven pebble-size pieces. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into four equal portions. Pat each portion into a flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for 15 minutes.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, chop the hazelnuts in a clean food processor. Add the preserves, raisins and salt and puree to make a very smooth paste.
• Roll a portion of dough into a 6- by 14-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. (Don't worry about slightly rough edges; these will be rolled inside of the rugelach.) Spread one-quarter of the filling over the surface with a small spatula. Starting with a long side, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder, ending with the seam on the bottom. Press the top slightly to flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for another 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (The cylinders can be frozen for up to a month.)
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and evenly position the racks. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Slice the cylinders into 1 1/2-inch pieces and place seam-side down on the prepared sheets. Whisk the egg yolks together and brush over the tops. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until pale golden and crispy on top, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheets. Carefully transfer the rugelach to a rack to cool. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

RUGELACH

Steps:

• Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly.
• Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks. Wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins).
• Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers...they freeze very well.
• Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets.

PRUNE RUGELACH

Steps:

• Mix butter, cream cheese, and salt in a large bowl with hands until crumbly. Add flour, and mix until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk; wrap each disk in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Stir together breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl; set aside. Stir together remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in another small bowl; set aside.
• To make filling: Put prunes and brandy in a small airtight container. Let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain prunes. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs and sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead.
• Roll 1 disk to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out a 12-inch circle. Brush beaten egg in a 1-inch border around circle. Put half the prune filling in center, and spread out to beaten egg border. Sprinkle 1/2 cup breadcrumb mixture over filling. Cut circle into 16 wedges. Starting at outside edge of each wedge, roll up into a crescent shape. Space 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining disk and filling. Refrigerate rugelach until cold, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake rugelach until golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Rugelach can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

PRUNE RUGELACH

Steps:

• Mix butter, cream cheese, and salt in a large bowl with hands until crumbly. Add flour, and mix until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk; wrap each disk in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours or up to overnight. Stir together breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl; set aside. Stir together remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in another small bowl; set aside. Roll 1 disk to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out a 12-inch circle. Brush beaten egg in a 1-inch border around circle. Put half the prune filling in center, and spread out to beaten egg border. Sprinkle 1/2 cup breadcrumb mixture over filling. Cut circle into 16 wedges. Starting at outside edge of each wedge, roll up into a crescent shape. Space 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining disk and filling. Refrigerate rugelach until cold, about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake rugelach until golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Rugelach can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days. To make filling: Put prunes and brandy in a small airtight container. Let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain prunes. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs and sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead.

PRUNE RUGELACH

Steps:

• Mix butter, cream cheese, and salt in a bowl with hands until crumbly. Add flour; mix until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Stir together bread crumbs and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Stir together remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in another small bowl.
• Roll one disk to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out a 12-inch circle. Brush beaten egg in a 1-inch border around circle. Put half the prune filling in center, and spread out to beaten egg border. Sprinkle 1/2 cup bread crumb mixture over filling. With a pizza wheel, cut circle into 16 wedges. Starting at outside edge of each wedge, roll up into a crescent shape. Space 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining disk and filling. Refrigerate rugelach until cold, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake rugelach until golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
• Soak prunes and brandy in a small airtight container at room temperature overnight. Drain prunes. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in bread crumbs and sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead.
• Spread the center of a round of dough with pureed fruit filling, then top with bread crumb mixture. With a pizza wheel, cut round into wedges. Tightly roll triangles inward, tucking tails underneath.

CRANBERRY RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead for 3 minutes or until smooth. Divide into 8 portions. Roll each portion into a ball; flatten into a 4-in. circle. Wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour., In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cranberries, walnuts, melted butter, cinnamon and allspice. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion of dough into an 8-in. circle. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Cut into 8 wedges. , Roll up wedges from the wide end and place point side down 2 in. apart on foil-lined baking sheets. Curve ends to form a crescent shape. Brush with egg; sprinkle with additional sugar. , Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

SPICED PRUNES

Steps:

• Place prunes in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Place vinegar, sugar, brandy, cinnamon, peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour over prunes and let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer prunes to an airtight container and cover; let stand at room temperature for at least one week before using. Prunes can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 months.

SPICED PRUNES

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the plums, water, cinnamon, cloves and ginger; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand until cool. Stir in lemon juice. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

SPICED PRUNES

Steps:

• Combine the prunes and water in a large saucepan.
• Place the spices and lemon rind in a piece of cheesecloth, tie tightly and drop into the saucepan.
• Cover the pan, bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat, and stir in the brown sugar and lemon juice.
• Let cool, then store in a glass jar in refrigerator overnight.
• Remove spice bag just before serving.

RUGELACH II

Steps:

• To Make Filling: Combine pecans, 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, soften butter and cream cheese. Add flour and sugar, blend well. Divide dough into (4) pieces.
• Roll each into a ball and dust each with flour, shake off excess. With a rolling pin, roll each piece between sheets of waxed paper into a 10 inch circle. Stack circles and refrigerate at least one hour.
• Preheat over to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
• Spread each circle of dough with light layer of apricot jam/preserves. Divide nut filling among circles, spread evenly. Cut each circle into 12 pie shaped wedges. Roll wedges from wide edge to point. Place on baking sheets point side down.
• Bake 12 - 15 minutes.