Each year at Hanukkah when I was young, I helped my Dad, who is a fantastic cook and baker, make hundreds of buttery spritz cookies and delicate flaky rugelach. Along with mandelbread, these are still my favorite cookies and over time the recipes have changed and become my own. When I moved from New York to Boston years ago, I went crazy for Cape Cod cranberries and tried adding them in many recipes including my rugelach. Everyone in my family loved them and now Cranberry Raspberry Rugelach are part of my holiday baking. If we are not together to light the candles and enjoy Hanukkah, I make sure that I pack up a batch of cookies to send down to Miami for Mom and Dad.
makes 4 dozen cookies
Dough
Filling
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam (homemade or store bought)
3/4 cup walnuts (finely chopped)
Sprinkle Topping
Equipment: food processor, rolling pin, pastry brush, pizza cutter wheel, parchment-lined heavy baking trays
Making the Dough
Cut butter into the flour using a pastry blender or food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs
Mix egg yolk into sour cream
Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture and blend until it forms a ragged ball
Divide the dough into four even pieces and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap
Chill for at least two hours
Making the Filling
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, raisins, orange juice, cinnamon stick and sugar
Cook until cranberries are popped and soft and juices have thickened (about 15 minutes)
Removed from heat and remove cinnamon stick
Add raspberry jam and process filling in a food processor to make a crumbly but spreadable mixture
Chill until ready to assemble cookies
To Assemble Cookies
Heat the oven to 350 degrees
Take one piece of dough and roll out to a 9” circle
Brush dough circle with melted butter
Gently spread 1/4 of the cranberry mixture onto the circle
Sprinkle with 1/4 of the nuts and a two teaspoons or the sugar/cinnamon mixture
Cut the circle into 12 even wedges with the pizza cutter or a knife as if cutting a pizza
Roll each cookie from the outside edge of the circle into a crescent shape
Place the cookies on baking trays
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on each cookie
Continue with remaining dough and filling
Bake for about 20 minutes until puffed and light golden brown
Eat warm or room temperature. These cookies also freeze very well.
source: Robin Cohen
http://dovesandfigs.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/cranberry-raspberry-rugelach/