PRUNE RUGELACH

delicious flaky cream cheese dough filled with a rich dried-fruit filling! Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Plan ahead if you are making this recipe. The prunes are soaked overnight for the filling.





RECIPE SOURCE: MARTHA STEWART COOKIES



You will need:

• 1 cup ( 2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pcs.
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp.
• 1/2 t coarse salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs from soft white bread
• 1/2 cup plus 3 T sugar
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon

1 large egg, beaten

prune filling (recipe follows)

1. Mix butter, cream cheese and salt in a bowl with hands until crumbly. add flour; mix until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Shape each half into a disk; wrap in plastic. refrigerate until cold, 4 hrs or up to overnight.

2. Stir together bread crumbs and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Stir together remaining 3 T sugar and the cinnamon in another bowl.

3. Roll one disk to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out a 12-inch circle. brush beaten egg in a 1-inch border around circle. Put half the prune filling in center, and spread to beaten egg border. Sprinkle 1/2 cup bread crumb mixture over filling. With a pizza wheel, cut circle into 16 wedges. Starting at outside edge of each wedge, roll up into a crescent shape. Space 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining disk and filling. Refrigerate rugelach until cold, about 2 hrs.



adding prune filling



adding sugar bread



adding breadcrumb mixture



rolling the dough



rolled rugelach, chill for 2 hrs before baking.

4. Preheat oven to 324 f. bake rugelach until golden brown and cooked through, about 40 min. let it cool completely on wire racks. cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temp. up to 3 days.

PRUNE FILLING:

• 1 cup prunes
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs from soft white bread
• 1/2 cup sugar

Soak prunes and brandy  in a small airtight container at a room temp overnight. Drain prunes. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in bread crumbs and sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead.