Celebration rugelach - country living
-----------------------------------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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