Rugelach

What's Needed:

These  home-style pastries are a favorite of mine. The cream cheese dough is unbelievably tender and the apricot filling is a nice sweet-tart contrast to the richness of the dough. Rugelach fillings are unlimited. Try raspberry jam and mini chocolate chips or  orange marmalade and walnuts. You can make extra dough and freeze it in discs  and  have rugelach any time you want it! Enjoy.

Spiced Apricot Rugelach
Makes 32 pieces

Prep time: 30 minutes
Chill time: Overnight
Bake time: about 25 minutes

Dough:
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Filling:
½ cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apricot preserves, raspberry jam, or your favorite flavor
1 cup raisins, chopped
1¼ cups walnuts, almonds or pecans, finely chopped
Topping:
Milk to brush pastry and sugar to sprinkle

In a medium bowl whisk together flour and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter and cream cheese until combined well. Add the flour mixture; mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Shape dough into 4 discs; wrap each in plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.
Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll disc into an 9-inch circle. Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper and chill while rolling out remaining dough.
Place a dough circle on work surface. Spread preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula. Sprinkle raisins and nuts over jam. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Using a pizza cutter, cut each disc into 8 wedges. Using parchment as an aid if needed, roll up dough tightly into a crescent. Place each crescent on the prepared baking sheets. Continue with remaining wedges, placing 1 inch apart in pan. Brush each with milk and sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.