January Challenge: Rugelach

Posted by - Michelle

When I was a girl, my grandmother made rugelach. In honor of her and this remarkable new year, I submit this recipe for January. I'm also posting a bonus recipe from a friend for a Christmas Butter Crunch. Happy Baking!

image via Real Simple

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 15-ounce package refrigerated piecrusts (such as Pillsbury). If you are ambitious, make a pie crust from scratch.
  
• 1/3 cup apricot jam (or jam of your choice)
  

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Sprinkle the work surface with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Unfold 1 of the crusts and place it on the sugar. Roll it to an even thickness. Spread half the jam evenly and thinly over the crust. Roll the dough tightly and sprinkle with about 1/2 tablespoon of the sugar. Using a knife, trim the uneven ends (about 1 inch on each side).
3. Cut the roll into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place them, sugared-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them 2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
4. Bake until golden, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

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Christmas Butter Crunch

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbl water
2 Tbl light Karo syrup
1 bag chopped almonds, enough to cover a 13 X 9" pan
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate bits

Melt butter in pan. Stir in sugar, water and Karo syrup. Cook and stir over moderate heat until 300 degrees or light brown. Brown almonds in oven. Stir into mixture quickly. Quickly pour mixture into greased pan. It will contract as it hardens.

Top/Bottoming
melt 12 oz. semi sweet chocolate bits over double boiler. Spread melted chocolate over top of harden mixture and sprinkle 1/2 of browned almonds on top. When this has cooled, repeat on other side.

Break into pieces and enjoy.