Apricot Almond Ruglach

Yield: 24 cookies

Cream Cheese Pastry:

• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 8 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
• 4 oz cold cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces

Filling:

• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• 2 oz chooped toasted almonds
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Topping:

• 1 ea egg
• 1/4 sugar
• 1 oz chopped almonds

Directions:

1. Set rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade, combine the flour, butter and crea, cheese. Pulse until the dough forms a ball. Remoce the dough from the work bowl and divid into two pieces. Place each on a piece of plastic wrap and press out into 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and regrigerate while preparing the filling.
3. To make the filling, stir the jam until iti is spreadable; stir together the almond, sugar and zest in a bowl.
4. Remove one the pieces of dough from the regrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flour the dough and roll it out into a 9-to10-inch circle. Using a pizza wheel, cut the circle in twelve equal wedges. Spread with half the jam and evenly scatter on half almond mixture. Roll each triangle of the dough into a small crescent from outside inward. As the ruglach are formed, place then on the prepared pan. Repeat with the other piece of dough and the remaining filling.
5. To make the topping, beat the egg in a small bowl until well broken up, In another bowl, mix the sugar and almonds, Brush the top of each pastry with beaten egg, then sprinkle with the almond sugar.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golfrn and slightly caramelized. Slight the papers from the pans to racks.
7. Ruglach are best on the day they are baked, but they will certainly keep between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover.