Celebration rugelach- country living

 
                   CELEBRATION RUGELACH - COUNTRY LIVING
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 30   Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Desserts
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         -----PASTRY-----
    8       c            Unsifted all-purpose flour
    2       t            Baking powder
    2       c            (4 sticks) butter, softened
    4                    8-oz packages cream cheese,
                         -softened
                         -----FILLING-----
    3 1/4   c            Coarsely chopped walnuts
    1 1/4   c            Golden raisins
    3       T            Sugar
    2       t            Ground cinnamon
    1                    12-oz jar seedless raspberry
                         -preserves
      1/2   c            Apricot preserves (opt.)
                         Fresh ivy or other green
                         -leaves (opt.)
 
   1. Prepare Pastry in 2 batches: In large bowl, combine half the flour
   and baking powder; mix well. With electric mixer at low speed, beat
   in half the butter and cream cheese until smooth dough forms. Divide
   dough into 4 balls. Repeat with remaining flour, baking powder,
   butter, and cream cheese to make 4 more balls of dough. Wrap balls of
   dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
   
   2. On lightly floured surface, roll one ball of dough into a 12 by 10
   ~inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. With fluted pastry wheel or
   knife, cut rectangle into two 12 by 5-inch strips. (Using pastry
   wheel, trim 1/16 inch from outside lengthwise edges to flute.)
   Transfer strips to baking sheet or large plate, cover with plastic
   wrap, and refrigerate. Repeat rolling and cutting with remaining
   balls of dough, stacking strips between plastic wrap and
   refrigerating as they are made.
   
   3. Prepare Filling: Set aside 1/4 C each nuts and raisins. In food
   processor fitted with chopping blade, process remaining 3 C walnuts
   until finely chopped. In medium-size bowl, combine finely chopped
   nuts, the sugar, and cinnamon. Set mixture aside.
   
   4. Heat oven to 325'F. Line 1 large baking sheet with aluminum foil;
   place 2 sheets of foil crosswise an a second large baking sheet.
   Place one 9-inch pastry ring (see Note) on the first baking sheet;
   place a 6-inch pastry ring and a 3-inch pastry ring on separate
   sheets of foil on the other baking sheet. With the tip of a skewer or
   toothpick, score outline of all rings into foil; remove rings and set
   aside until ready to bake rugelach.
   
   5. To make 9-inch rugelach, brush one strip of dough lightly with
   raspberry preserves. Sprinkle 3 T walnut mixture and 1 T raisins to
   cover half of strip lengthwise. Fold uncovered half of dough strip
   lengthwise over covered half to enclose filling and make a 12 by 2
   1/2-inch strip. Brush top of folded strip lightly with raspberry
   preserves. From either end, loosely roll up filled strip; stand, cut
   edges up, in center of 9-inch ring scored on baking sheet.
   
   6. Fill and fold 8 more strips of dough as in step 5; brush top of
   each with preserves. With preserve-brushed surface facing center,
   wrap one filled dough strip, cut edges up, around rolled strip on
   baking sheet. Continue wrapping remaining 7 filled strips around
   center, pinching ends of strips together, until ring is filled.
   Sprinkle outside of rugelach with about 2 T walnut mixture and place
   9 inch pastry ring around rugelach spiral.
   
   7. With remaining pastry strips, prepare 6-inch and 3-inch rugelachs
   repeating steps 5 and 6, using 5 filled strips of dough for 6-inch
   rugelach and 2 filled strips for 3-inch rugelach. Pat some of
   remaining walnut mixture around outside of rugelachs, using about 1
   1/2 T on each. Carefully place pastry rings around rugelachs.
   
   8. Stir reserved nuts and raisins into remaining walnut mixture.
   Sprinkle over top of rugelachs, tucking nuts and raisins into the
   spaces between pastry rings.
   
   9. Bake 9-inch rugelach 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, 6-inch rugelach 1 1/4
   to 1 1/2 hours, and 3 inch rugelach 1 hour or until center is browned
   and firm to touch. With large spatula, remove 3-inch rugelach, still
   on foil, to wire rack allowing 6-inch rugelach to remain in the oven
   until it is completely baked. When baked, carefully transfer all
   rugelachs to wire rack; remove pastry ring and foil. Let rugelachs
   cool to room temperature.
   
   10. Just before serving, in small saucepan, melt apricot preserves and
   brush over top of each rugelach. Place 9-inch rugelach on serving
   plate; top with the 6 inch and 3-inch rugelachs. (If necessary, trim
   tops of 9 and 6-inch rugelachs to make level so tiers will stand
   securely.) Garnish plate with fresh ivy or other green leaves, if
   desired.
   
   11. To serve, cut 3-inch rugelach into 6 wedges and remove to
   individual plates. Then cut 6-inch rugelach into 10 wedges and remove
   to plates; cut 9-inch rugelach into 14 wedges and remove.
   
   Note: Pastry rings, which look like bottomless tart pans, can be
   found at gourmet cookware stores. If not available in your area,
   order by mail from Bridge Kitchenware, 214 E. 52 Street, New York,
   N.Y. 10022 or call (212) 838-1901.
   
   Country Living/December/92 Scanned & fixed by Di Pahl & 
  
 
 
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