Polish Rugelach <Ruh Geh Laa> Cookies

This cookie is a popular Eastern European crescent cookie. It’s been a favorite in the Alagna household for 30 years.

Makes 64 Cookies

DOUGH

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 8-ounce package Neufchatel cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

FILLING

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup (3 1/2 ounces) dried cranberries, finely chopped
2/3 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 large egg, beaten to blend Additional sugar

FOR DOUGH: Using electric mixer, beat butter and cheese in large bowl until light. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Mix in flour and salt. Gather dough into ball and gent1y knead until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Gather each into ball; flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly before rolling.)

FOR FILLING: Mix 3/4 cup sugar, cranberries, walnuts, butter, cinnamon and all-spice in small bowl to blend. Set aside.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Place 1 dough disk on floured work surface (keep remaining 7 dough disks refrigerated). Roll out dough to 8-inch round. Spread 3 tablespoons filling over round, leaving 1/2-inch border. Cut round into 8 wedges. Starting at wide end of each wedge, roll up tightly and completely to tip.

Place cookies, tip pointing down, on un-greased baking sheet and form into crescents. Repeat with 3 more dough disks and filling. Brush cookies with egg. Sprinkle additional sugar over. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool. Repeat with remaining 4 disks, filling, egg and sugar. (Can be made ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.)

* 1 cup (8 oz.) butter
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 cups process cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon salt*
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
* 4 large  eggs
* 1 1/2 cups flour (I like using unbleached)
* 2 cups (12-oz bag)  chocolate chips

*Increase the salt to 1 teaspoon if you use unsalted butter.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

In  a medium saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter.  Remove the saucepan from the heat, add sugar, and stir to combine.  Return the mixture to the heat briefly, just till it’s hot, but not bubbling; it will become shiny looking as you stir it.  Heating  the butter and  sugar a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.  Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. (or just leave it in the saucepan if  it’s big enough)

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla.  Add the eggs, beating till smooth; then add the flour and chips, beating till well combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 28-30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out dry (though it may have a few crumbs clinging to it).

The brownies should feel set both on the edges, and in the center.  Remove them from the oven and after 5 minutes loosen the edges with a table knife; this helps prevent the brownies from sinking in the center.

Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Yield: 2 dozen brownies.

• 1 box (17 oz) pound cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 box (1lb.) confectioners sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Combine cake mix,  butter and 2 eggs stirring until well blended.  Beat 1 minute.  Spread batter in greased 13×9″ baking pan.  Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in remaining 2 eggs, then vanilla.  Set aside 1/2 cup confectioners sugar.  Beat in remaining confectioner sugar.  Pour evenly over cake batter in pan.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Bake at 350 degrees 35 to  45 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool 20 min. sprinkle with some of the  remaining sugar as preferred. Cool completely before cutting.

Cake:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs well-beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder

Topping:

• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 5 or 6 Tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease 13×9″ pan.  Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Mix in eggs, sour cream and vanilla.  Sift together flour, baking powder and soda.  Add to mixture, beating well.  Mix together topping ingredients.  Spread 1/2 the batter in pan.  Sprinkle with 1/2 the topping.  Repeat with remaining batter and topping.

Bake 40 minutes at 325 degrees.