- --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
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
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
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;
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
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
9-inch ring scored on baking sheet.
6. Fill and fold
8 more strips of dough as in step
5; brush top of
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
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.
9. Bake 9-inch rugelach
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, 6-inch rugelach
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 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
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 & <gg>
