Walnut and Brown Sugar Rugelach

Happy holiday's everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a couple days. I have been running around finishing up my semester and getting ready for Hanukkah. For those of you that do not celebrate Hanukkah, it started this past Saturday, December 8th. We always do a traditional dinner of latkes, roast, apple sauce and much, much more. Needless to say, I am glad I wore leggings during the meal. I was in charge of making dessert, so I tested my baking ability with homemade Rugelach. Rugelach is a a pastry that is rolled up like a crescent and filled with almost anything. I have had chocolate, jelly, nuts, and a mixture.

For this dessert I followed a recipe by Martha Stewart. Before I list the directions I would like to say, this dough is extremely sticky! It says to chill for a minimum of 2 hours to 3 months, what a range huh? I did 2 hours because I was on a time crunch, but next time I am going to do 4-5 hours. If you decide to make this dessert give yourself enough time for the refrigeration process.

Ingredients 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

Directions 

1. In a food processor, blend butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt until well combined. Add flour, and pulse just until a dough forms. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw before baking).

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, combine egg with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash.

3. Working with one disk at a time, place dough on lightly floured parchment paper, and roll out into an 11-inch circle (about 1/4 inch thick), dusting lightly with flour as needed. Using a large dinner plate as a guide, cut around dough to make a perfect circle; trim off and discard scraps. Brush circles with egg wash; dividing evenly, sprinkle with walnuts and brown sugar.

4. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each circle into 16 equal triangles. Starting from the wide end, roll up each triangle of dough; place on lined baking sheets, seam side down. Brush rolls with egg wash.

5. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 32 minutes. Transfer rugelach to a wire rack to cool completely.