Subtle Nuances...: Rugelach

My boyfriend & I love to scour the Whole Food's bakery section to gawk over their fresh baked goodies. They normally have muffins, bagels, cakes & cookies, nothing too spectacular & special there. But today we spotted a whole display of Baklava & Rugelach (they must be prepping us for the holidays). Ok, I have to admit that we've had them before, but that was in my pre-baking days! We went ahead & got a batch & quickly indulged when we got home. :) We read the ingredients & were both a little disappointed to see egg & non-organic ingredients listed, but enjoyed the dessert nonetheless since this was our "Sunday Celebration".
After eating a few more bites, my boyfriend had a revelation..."You know, YOU can make these." What a great idea, he knows I like to try new stuff, so no way would I turn down the opportunity.
So thus begins the online search to learn more about Rugulach/Rugalach/Rogelach/Rugalah/Rugala. After reading a few recipes, I gathered up my ingredients to whip up a half batch of these yummy goodies. They're cooling right now as we speak, I'll be enjoying my homemade Rugelachs in a few short minutes! Rugelach is so versatile - you can add any chocolate, dried fruit, nut or preserve combination that you like! So much flexibility, I like that! You can even use Nutella, which I've yet to try in any of my baking.
Since I did not add extra sugar, these were not very sweet, but rolled in light brown sugar + cinnamon made them perfect for me! Not too sweet, not too heavy. But if I want a richer cookie next time, I will try a recipe that includes sour cream.
**After taste test: For some odd reason my Rugelach's came out slightly soggy in the center, it may be because my preserves used apple juice as a natural sweetener, adding extra moisture to my dough. I think next time I may just use blended dried nuts & fruits & skip the preserves. Also, this time I used whole wheat pastry, next time I will use whole wheat flour since it's more substantial.

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Rugelach
1 cup AP flour (1/2 AP , 1/2 whole wheat)
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 cup sugar

3/4 cup walnuts/pecans, grounded
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup sugar

6 tblspns preserves, raspberry/mixed berries

1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar/coarse sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour & salt, set aside.
In an electric mixer, blend together butter & cream cheese, add vanilla extract & some sugar for sweeter dough.
Slowly add the flour mixture into the butter/cheese mixture. The batter will be crumbly. With a wooden spoon/spatula, incorporate the flour to form a dough.
Divide the dough into two balls or two squares, wrap in parchment or saran wrap & refrigerate dough overnight.

Defrost one dough for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the walnuts, cinnamon & additional sugar into the food processor. Blend to create coarse mixture.
Roll dough to create 10 inch circle or 11X7 rectangle, size does not matter, but consider dough thickness.
Spread 3 tablespoons of preserves all over dough. Spread half the nut mixture all over dough & then press it down. Add any additional coarsely chopped nuts/fruits if desired.
(Circle) If creating crescents, divide dough like cutting pizza into 12 "slices", roll from long side into center. Place tail side down on lined pan. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
(Rectangle) If creating rolls, spread on preserves & nut mixture. Roll from the long side like creating jelly roll. Refrigerate for 30 minutes & slice crosswise about 1 inch thick before baking.
Repeat for remaining dough.