Rugelach

(from Baking Illustrated)

Okay, so this recipe is a bit labor intensive, but I think its yumminess makes it well worth the effort.

dough:
2.25 cups flour
2.5 T sugar
1/2 t salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/4 inch slices
8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 T sour cream

filling:
2/3 cup apricot preserves
1 cup raisins, chopped fine
2 cups finelychopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
2 T ground cinammon
(other good filling combinations are raspberry-chocolate-walnut, apricot-cherry-cashew, pineapple-coconut, strawberry-white chocolate-macadamia nut, apple-pecan)
glaze:
2 egg yolks
2 T milk

1. put flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.

2. sprinkle the butter, cream cheese, and sour cream over the mixture. process in 1 second pulses until the dough comes together in small, uneven pebbles (so that it looks like cottage cheese).

3. press the mixture into a 9x6 inch log, then divide the log into 4 equal portions.

4. roll each portion into a 8x4 inch rectangle (use flour as needed to prevent sticking), and then put the dough between two sheet of plastic wrap and roll into an 11x7 inch rectangle.

5. leave in the plastic wrap and put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

6. remove large chunks from preserves, and combine the cinammon and sugar.

7. once the dough has been frozen, take it out of the plastic wrap and cover with preserves, then sprinkle with fruit, walnuts, and then lightly cover with cinammon-sugar mixture.

8. press down mixture and then roll tightly.

9. put back in the freezer for 15 minutes.

10. preheat the oven to 375. mix the egg yolks and milk.

11. after 15 minutes take out the rolls, cut off and discard the uneven ends.

12. cut the logs into about 8 pieces, about 1 inch wide.

13. brush the egg glaze onto the top and side of each and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

14. bake for 20-23 minutes until golden brown and a bit puffy. let cool for a few minutes.