Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Sarabeth's Rugelach

This recipe comes from Sarabeth’s restaurant in NYC…I got it in the old Cuisine magazine in the very early 80’s and I have been making them ever since. Two years ago I lost my written recipe…never found it. I have been making them for so long I remembered the ingredients but I had to write the directions myself. I hope they are clear. I have used raspberry and apricot preserves, but they are just not the same as with the plum. I have also replaced the nuts with mini-chocolate chips. But in the
end when made exactly as the recipe is written they are really,really good. DO NOT OVER WORK THIS DOUGH. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to three days and you can also freeze the dough for those rugelach emergencies....


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Sarabeth’s Rugelach

1 cup butter softened
1 8 oz.pkg. cream cheese softened
½ cup + 2 T.sugar divided
½ t.vanilla
¼ t.salt
2 cups flour
¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup currants
2 T.cinnamon
½ cup plum preserves (I usually use Bonne Maman Damson Plum,as that is the only plum I can ever find)
Confectioners sugar

Pre-Heat oven to 350*
Mix Cinnamon with 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.
Cream together butter and cream cheese,add 2 T.sugar,vanilla,salt ,and flour…I use my hand mixer for this…you could use a processor or the big stand mixer if you want.
Turn out on board and knead quickly until just together and smooth…
Divide into 3 pieces, press each piece into disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or overnight
Roll disc out into a 10 inch or 12 inch circle…don’t worry if the edges are uneven. I use a marble slab for this but a clean counter will work as well.
Spread 1/3 of the jam, the cinnamon sugar,nuts and currants over dough. Leave a 1 inch border without filling around circle. You can roll over filling with rolling pin to press into dough…you don’t have to though
With a long sharp knife or bench knife cut into 12 pie shaped pieces.
Roll each piece into a crescent, long end toward the point. Place on a parchment lined (or silpat) baking sheet . Turn the edges in so it looks like a crescent.
Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on rack…dust liberally with powdered sugar..I usually sift the sugar over them while they are on the Rack…I place the rack over a baking sheet,to catch the sugar.
Also the Bonne Maman jam has lots of chunks of fruit, if you want to be very precise you can whizz the jam in the processor until smooth....I tend to just work around the chunks...it is your call! One word of caution...the cinnamon sugar in this recipe make a whole lot. I do not use it all. I eyeball it...so use your own discretion when you sprinkle it on. I probably use about two Tablespoons or so of the mixture for each round of dough...

These are really nice to give as a gift...you will be da bomb if you do, I promise!
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8 comments:

  1. These look wonderful, and so does your package! My rugelach recipe is about as old as yours (it came from McCall's magazine), and very similar, except that there's no jam in the filling. I know that's more usual, so I'll have to see what I've been missing. I just found Bonne Maman fig jam in the supermarket - what would you think of a cross between a rugelach and a Fig Newton?

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  2. Thanks Audrey!
    I also have a jar of that fig jam in my pantry! Let me know if you try it!
    I will say though I think the plum really sets these apart, that and the powdered sugar over top. Most of the cream cheese doughs are pretty much the same, usually the only thing that differs is the amount of sugar in the dough.
    If you happen try them I hope you enjoy them!

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  3. ps: I opened the Bonne Maman fig jam this morning...it probably doesn't have enough depth of flavor for the rugelach, but it was really good on toast and I think it will be incredible in pb&j.

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  4. Oh Linda... these are the BEST looking rugelach I've ever seen.

    Wish I could reach right though the screen! A cup of coffee & one of your rugelachs would be perfect right now.

    Gorgeous photos ~ and I love the way you gift packaged them. Absolutely lovely.

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  5. I really have to make these, do you prefer the chocolate chips in this recipe? Also could you warm the jam and strain it?

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  6. Thank you so much everyone....

    Mary...these are really great..the dough comes together in a
    pinch and freezes really well...I have made better looking ones, but I was in a rush when I took these pics!

    Audrey...get yourself a jar of the plum jam if you can find it and give them a whirl...you will not be sorry!

    Miss Ernie...I am not as fond of the chocolate chips. I made them for an Auntie who can not eat nuts, she loved them...I will keep the nuts!

    L:)

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  7. I LOVE RUGELACH! I use Dorie Greenspan's recipe and everyone loves it! I included it on my Christmas cookie list last year. I do have a problem, however, with jam and preserves. My rugelach turns out soggy in the middle. So, instead, I use nutella and pistachios, and they are divine! Where did you get that great cardboard box? I am looking for something similar to give cookies out during the Holiday season. :) Take care, great blog

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  8. Thank you so much Andrew!

    Believe it or not those are boxes from the Martha Stewart line that she sells at Michael's....I got a few sets there on clearance for a few $$$
    each....they sell them in sets and some are sold separately. I was lucky to hit the store when they were selling packages of food grade tissue, ribbon and some boxes for believe it or not $1.00...so I grabbbed what I could and ran from the store!

    If you like Dorie's recipe , give these a try. I swear by them. Sometime the jam might ooze out of the baking cookie a little bit...but usually not.The powdered sugar hides a multitude of sins! I have not had trouble with them being soggy.
    I do kind of eyeball the jam amount I am using, and most likely use a little bit less than the recipe states...

    Yummm...Nutella and picstachios sound wonderful. I have some dough in the freezer , I need to give that a whirl! Thanks!

    L:)

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