I make - Rugelach

Yes, I know, it's near the end of Spring and heading towards summer, but I only found time now to try Rugelach out. Rugelach is Jewish cookie typically eaten during December Hanukkah time, even though nowadays shops sell them all year round. I was first introduced by my friend in Manhattan who kindly offered me a box(!) of these delicious pastry while I visited her one Autumn. I could tell straightaway that it's going to be a very good thing because the smell of butter, sugar and dried fruits just permeated through the box while sitting in its carrier bag. Ever since that moment, I've marked Rugelach on my wish list to make! And that was years ago.

The recipe I used is based on Dorie Greenspan's version (you can never go wrong with Dorie!). And, yes, the result is utterly buttery deliciousness one could ever hope to create at home. This makes me think of S again and her kindness. I hope you are well.

Rugelach with two fillings

For the dough:

- 100 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 200 g salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup of plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons of sugar
- Round pie dish or cake tin of 25cm diameter
- egg wash (one egg mixed with dash of water)

Marmalade filling:

- 2-3 tablespoons of marmalade at the consistency of easy spreading
- handful of dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup toasted pecan nuts, finely chopped
- cinnamon sugar (1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder)

Nutella filling:

- 2-3 tablespoons of nutella
- handful of dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup toasted pecan nuts, finely chopped
- cinnamon sugar (1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder)

Beat cream cheese and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, vanilla and sugar. Stir to combine to form a dough. Scrape the (sticky!) dough out of the bowl, dust some flour around if it's too sticky and quickly form a ball. Wrap it with the cling film and rest the dough in the fridge for at least one hour.

When you are ready to work with the dough, take it out of the fridge. Cut two big pieces of parchment paper (large enough to cover your sheet pan). Slice the dough in half horizontally (like a bagel). Wrap one half back with the cling film and put back to the fridge while you work the other one. Take one parchment paper, scatter some flour on top and generously flour the rolling pin and the dough (top and bottom). Rotate the dough by turning the parchment paper 90 degrees during rolling to help make a circle. Your aim is to roll out the dough into a big round shape, with a thickness of 0.3cm. Mark a perfect circle with a round pie dish on the dough and cut along the circle with a knife. Save the pastry scrapes.

Spread the marmalade onto the first pastry circle, leaving a border of 2-cm unfilled. Scatter cranberries, chopped pecan pieces and cinnamon sugar (you may not need to use all sugar). Now cut the circle into 16 triangles (think of pizza wedges). Starting at the base of each triangle, roll tightly the dough up so that each cookie becomes a little crescent. Arrange the roll-ups on one lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for one hour.

Repeat the same process with the other piece of pastry and fill with nutella.

Preheat the oven at 180C. Brush the chilled rugelach with egg wash and bake them for 20-25 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan 180 degree half way through the baking time. Cool them completely on a wire rack and enjoy.