Chocolate Walnut Rugelach

blucoat's Note:

These are delicious, traditional Jewish crescent shaped pastries or cookies. They are almost like denser, mini chocolate croissants. This recipe really simplifies what can sometimes be a complicated treat to prepare. The recipe is from "The Clueless Baker: Baking from Scratch", by Evelyn Raab. It's a great cookbook for beginning bakers. (For a faster method of rolling the cookies: roll the dough out into a slightly more rectangular shape. Sprinkle with filling, then roll the whole thing up in one piece, starting at one of the long sides. Cut into 1-inch (2 cm) sections and place, seam side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet to bake.)

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 32 rugelach

Dough

• ¼ lb butter , cut into chunks (1 stick or 8 tablespoons)
• ¼ lb cream cheese , cut into chunks (the block kind, 8 tablespoons)
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Filling

• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄3; cup chocolate chips or 1⁄3; cup raisins
• 1⁄3; cup walnuts , coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. In a food processor, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine all the dough ingredients. Process or beat until it becomes dough-like. (In a food processor the mixture will form a ball, and stick together. With a mixer, it just turns into dough. Don’t over beat.) Put aside.
2. Now, in your food processor, combine all the filling ingredients and process until finely chopped. If you don’t have a processor, you can do this in a blender -- just make sure you stop and scrape and sides down several times so that everything is evenly ground.
3. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and dust each one with flour. Dust the counter or tabletop with flour, too. Roll a piece of dough into a circle, approximately 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter. Handle the dough gently, and don’t be afraid to sprinkle it with more flour to prevent it from sticking to the counter or the rolling pin. Cover the entire surface of this circle with some of the filling in a thin, even layer. Using a pizza cutter (or a sharp knife) cut the circle into 8 wedges, pizza-style. Roll each wedge up -- starting at the wide, outside edge -- rolling firmly toward the point. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, bending slightly to form a crescent. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.
4. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned on top, but not burnt on the bottom.