Cherry Chocolate Rugalach
 
Ingredients
PASTRY DOUGH
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2¾ cups unbleached white flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
FILLING
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅔ cup chilled cherry preserves (10-ounce jar)*
  • ½ cup dried cherries
  • ¾ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup finely chopped almonds**
GLAZE
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • sprinkling of sugar
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the flour and salt and knead the dough briefly until well mixed.
  3. Wrap the dough in a large sheet of wax paper to form a tight package and mold the dough into a 12-inch-iong log.
  4. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  5. When you are ready to bake the rugalach, combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk for the glaze.
  7. Line a heavy baking pan with parchment paper or lightly oil it with cooking spray.
  8. Divide the dough into four equal pieces.
  9. Gently flatten each piece into a disk and wrap each one in wax paper.
  10. Work with one disk at a time and keep the rest refrigerated.
  11. Using a rolling pin, roll each disk between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 9-inch round.
  12. Spread one-quarter of the filling on the dough and pat down.
  13. Carefully cut each round into 8 equal pie-shaped wedges.
  14. Roll up the wedges from the wide outer edge to the center point.
  15. Place the pastries point side down on the pan about an inch apart.
  16. Preheat the oven to 375° when you begin to work on the last disk of dough.
  17. Brush all of the pastries with the glaze and sprinkle with sugar.
  18. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
  19. Carefully transfer the rugalach to a wire rack to cool completely, then store in a sealed container.
Notes
If the preserves have large pieces of cherries, briefly whirl in a food processor to break them up.

If chopping almonds in a food processor or blender, add ½ teaspoon of flour to prevent the nuts from becoming pasty.
Recipe by Moosewood Restaurant & Recipes | Ithaca, NY at https://moosewoodcooks.com/2014/12/cherry-chocolate-rugalach/