Rugelach with Blue Cheese and Walnuts
This recipe can be made ahead and frozen before it is
baked. Arrange unbaked rugelach in single layer in jelly
roll pan; cover and freeze until firm. Remove rugelach from
pan and place in freezer containers, with waxed paper between
each layer. Seal, label and freeze. About 45 minutes before
serving, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie
sheets with foil; grease foil Arrange frozen rugelach on prepared
sheets and bake 35 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts
4 oz blue cheese, cut into chunks
48 pitted dates (about 12 oz)
1 large egg white
Prepare rugelach dough: In large bowl, with mixer at medium
speed, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy, occasionally
scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low; gradually
beat in flour and salt just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten each into a disk.
Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or
overnight, until dough is firm enough to roll. (Or place dough in freezer
1 hour if using butter, 1 1/2 hour if using margarine).
In a food processor with knife blade attached, pulse 1/2 cup walnuts
until finely chopped; transfer to small bowl and reserve. In same food
processor, pulse blue cheese and remaining 1 cup walnuts 7-8 times
or until a coarse mixture forms. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil. On floured surface,
with floured rolling pin, roll 1 disk of dough into 10 inch round.
If dough is too cold to roll, let warm for 5-10 minutes at room temperature
to soften slightly. With pastry wheel or knife, cut round into 12 equal wedges.
Beginning 1 inch from edge of dough round, sprinkle 1/2 cup blue cheese
mixture in 2 inch wide ring on dough, leaving dough exposed in center
Place 1 whole date crosswise on wide end on each wedge.
Starting at wide end, roll up each wedge, jelly roll fashion. Place rugelach,
1 inch apart, on cookie sheets, point side down. Repeat with remaining
dough, blue cheese mixture, and dates. In small bowl, lightly beat egg
white. Brush rugelach with 1 teaspoon water. Brush rugelach with egg white
mixture and sprinkle with reserved walnuts. Bake rugelach 30-35 minutes
or until golden, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking.
Transfer rugelach to wire rack to cool. Store rugelach in tightly covered
container at room temperature up to 3 days, or in freezer up to 3 months.