Rugelach Hand Pies Recipe From The Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• Dough
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
• 8 tablespoons cream cheese, cold
• ⅓ cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Filling
• ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup dried currants (or finely chopped raisins)
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• Pinch ground cardamom
• ¼ cup apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon water
• Pinch kosher salt

Directions

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, pulsing the mixture between additions until the butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Add the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons at a time, pulsing between additions until the mixture is just combined. In a small bowl, combine the water and lemon juice. While pulsing, drizzle in the liquids until a rough dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Shape into a flat disc and refrigerate while making the filling.
2. Make the filling: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the orange juice and bring to a simmer. Add the currants and cook until the orange juice is almost completely evaporated, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the walnuts and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cardamom. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a saucepan set over low heat, add the apricot jam and warm until it liquefies, then turn off the heat. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
4. Assemble the hand pies: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, water and salt. Set the egg wash aside. Roll the dough into a 19-inch by 15-inch rectangle that is about ⅛-inch thick. Use an upturned bowl or plastic lid to cut the dough into as many circles as possible. Bring the scraps together and gently reroll, cutting out as many dough circles as you can. Use a pastry brush to brush a bit of liquefied jam over each piece, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and top with about 1½ tablespoons of the currant-walnut mixture.
5. Brush the edge of one half of the circle with egg wash and fold the unwashed edge over to meet it. Press a fork into the edges of the pastry to crimp and seal it. Repeat with the remaining dough circles.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the hand pies on top. Brush the top of each hand pie with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Place in the oven and bake until the hand pies are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the pies from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.