Nov. 12--Rugelach are one of the standout joys of the cookie world, but daunting even to think about preparing, with rolling out the dough, making and spreading the filling and rolling up all those little pieces. So I always have great respect and gratefulness for anyone who shares them with me.
Yet the winner of the Chicago Tribune's annual Holiday Cookie Contest in 1997 said her version of the cookie is not difficult at all. At the time, Jean Linsner of Chicago called her rolled crescent of cream cheese dough filled with spiced, sweet-tart dried cherries and toasted walnuts a "12-step program for intimidated would-be bakers." It was so simple to prepare that Linsner -- whose previous disaster with a spritz dough had turned her off cookie baking -- was lured back to the kitchen.
We're featuring her sour cherry rugelach again as a celebration of the new book "Holiday Cookies: Prize-Winning Family Recipes from the Chicago Tribune" ($24.95). The book, published by the Chicago Tribune with Surrey Books, an imprint of Agate Publishing, contains more than 100 recipes of winning cookies and honorable mentions. (Look for it wherever books are sold.) We will publish a recipe from it each week leading up to the Dec. 1 announcement of this year's contest winners. (For previous weeks, go to chicagotribune.com/cookiebook .)
Also tied to this year's contest is a cookie decorating class for children Dec. 6. Just Kidding is sponsoring a two-hour hands-on cookie decorating workshop, led by chef instructors from Kendall College. Decorating stations will be stocked with cookies, frosting and decorations. The event is designed for children age 4 to 12. For information, go to chicagotribune.com/news/tribnation/chi-dec-6-press-pass-just-kiddings-cookie-decorating-day-20141104-story.html
jxgray@tribpub.com
Sour cherry rugelach
Prep: 30 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Cook: 20 minutes
Makes: 64 cookies
Jean Linsner won first place in 1997 in the Tribune's Holiday Cookie Contest for this recipe.
Dough:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 package (3.5 ounces) dried sour cherries, or 2/3 cup, finely chopped
2/3 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Glaze:
1 large egg, beaten
Granulated sugar
1. For the dough, beat butter and cream cheese in the large bowl of an electric mixer until light. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Mix in flour and salt. Gather dough into a ball; gently knead until smooth and flour is incorporated.
2. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate, at least 1 hour
3. For the filling, mix sugar, cherries, walnuts, melted butter, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Unwrap dough disks and roll into 8-inch rounds on lightly floured surface. Spread 3 tablespoons of filling onto center of dough, leaving about a half-inch border. Using a pizza cutter or other straight blade, cut circle into 8 wedges.
5. Starting at wide end of each wedge, roll up each cookie tightly. Place tip side down on ungreased cookie sheets; bend into crescents. Repeat with remaining dough disks. Brush each crescent with beaten egg; sprinkle with sugar. Bake 20 minutes, or until rugelach are golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Note: Nuts and cherries are easily chopped, separately, in a food processor. To keep cherries from sticking to blade, chop with about 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
Nutrition information per cookie: 95 calories, 6 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 17 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 55 mg sodium, 0 g fiber
