Cinnamon-Nut-Raisin Crescents (Rugelach)

Title:
Cinnamon-Nut-Raisin Crescents (Rugelach)

Yield:
4 Servings

Categories:
Cookies,
Jewish




Ingredients:




-----------------------------CREAM
CHEESE DOUGH-----------------------------


     8 oz Cream cheese (bar-type, not


          -soft type)


     1 c  (2 sticks) cold, unsalted


          Butter


     2 c  All-purpose flour


   1/4 ts Salt


   1/3 c  Sour cream


     1 ts Water, if needed





----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------


   1/2 c  Sugar


     1 tb Ground cinnamon


     1 c  Walnuts, finely chopped


   1/2 c  Dark raisins, chopped





 Cut cream cheese into tablespoon-size pieces and let soften at room


 temperature. Cut butter into small pieces of about 1/2 tbsp. and keep cold


 until ready to use.


 


 In a food processor, combine flour, salt and butter. Process with on/off


 turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream cheese and sour cream,


 distributing them fairly evenly over mixture. Process with on/off turns


 until dough just holds together. Add 1 teaspoon water if necessary.


 


 Wrap dough, press into a ball, and flatten to a disc. Refrigerate 4 hours


 or up to 2 days. Lightly butter 2 or 3 baking sheets. Mix sugar and for


 filling.


 


 Divide dough into 4 pieces. Press 1/4 of dough to a round, then flatten it.


 Roll it to a 9-inch circle about 1/8-thick. Sprinkle 1/4 of sugar-cinnamon


 mixture (about 2 tbsp.) all over circle, then sprinkle 1/4 of nuts and 1/4


 of raisins around outer edge of circle. Press with rolling pin so they


 adhere to dough.


 


 Using a heavy knife, cut circle in 12 wedges, making each cut with a sharp


 movement of heel of knife. Roll up dough tightly from wide end to point; be


 sure filling is enclosed, since raisins can burn if exposed. Repeat process


 with other 3 piece of dough.


 


 Put cookies on baking sheets, with points of triangles facing down, spacing


 them about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate while shaping more cookies.


 


 Refrigerate all at least 20 minutes before baking. (unbaked cookies can be


 frozen).


 


 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake cookies 22 to 25 minutes, or until light


 golden. Cool on racks.


 


 Yields: 48 small cookies Source: Faye Levy's International Jewish Cookbook,


 Warner Books, calls for walnuts. Pecans may be substituted. MM formatted by


 Mary Wilson, BWVB02B.


 Posted to JEWISH-FOOD digest V96 #097


 


 From: Nancy Berry 


 


 Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 09:39:00 -0800