I made and ate an enormous amount of cookies in December. However, a mere month later, I am back in the saddle and ready to bake… and overeat…. more cookies. I still a have half a dozen restaurant and bakery recommendations to share with all of you from my New York trip but it seemed better to start out the week on Whipped with a comforting recipe for something delectable.
Often, I proclaim my everlasting love for buttermilk, my most favorite ingredient. However, I have decided that cream cheese is a close second. My taste buds cheer for almost everything made with cream cheese – cookie doughs with cream cheese, pastries filled with cream cheese, brownies swirled with cream cheese, taco dips layered with cream cheese…. the list goes on.
These cookies were so fun to make, ultra tasty and really pretty.
Walnut and Brown-Sugar Rugelach
From Everyday Food, December 2007
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
2 T granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
In food processor, blend butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt until well combined. Add flour and pulse just until dough forms. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months. (always thaw before baking).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks on upper half and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In small bowl, combine egg with 1 teaspoon water and make an egg wash.
Working with one disk at a time, place dough on lightly floured parchment paper and roll out into an 11inch circle (about 1/4 inch thick) dusting with flour lightly as needed. Using a large dinner plate as a guide, cut around dough to make a perfect circle. Trim off excess and discard scraps. Bruch circles with egg wash, dividing evenly, sprinkle with walnuts and brown sugar.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each circle into 16 equal triangles. Starting from wide end, roll up each triangle of dough. Place on lined baking sheets, seam side down. Bruch rolls with egg wash.
Bake until golden brown, 30 to 32 minutes. Transfer rugelach to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variation: With some of the dough, I skipped the egg wash, walnuts and brown sugar and used raspberry preserves instead. When they came out of the oven, I sprinkled them with powdered sugar and they were fantastic!
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