Cherry-Almond Rugelach

• A friend of mine opened my eyes to rugelach a many years back and I'm thrilled to now have these cookies in our recipe collection.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 lb butter
• 7 oz almond paste
• 2 cups flour

Filling:

• 6 oz dried cherries
• 1/2 cup cherry-flavored brandy or 1 Tbsp brandy extract
• 1/2 cup water (if using brandy extract, add an additional 1/2 cup water)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

Additional ingredients:

• 1 egg, beaten
• White sparkling sanding sugar

Preparation:

1. To make the dough, cut the cream cheese, butter, and almond paste into bits. Pulse the cream cheese, butter, almond paste, and flour in a food processor until crumbly. Place the mixture onto a working surface and knead the dough together. Shape it into 4 equal disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours or up to 2 days.
2. To prepare the filling, put the cherries, brandy, and water in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat. When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, put the cherries, sugar, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small mixing bowl and fold in the almonds. Set aside.
3. To prepare the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. On a well-floured work surface, roll 1 disk into a 12" round. Be sure to keep the other disks chilled until ready to roll. Spread a quarter of the cherry mixture over the dough leaving a 1/2" border. With a chef's knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll the wedges from wide to narrow, so you end up with a point on the outside of the cookie. Repeat with remaining discs of dough.
4. Place the cookies on ungreased baking sheets and chill the rugelach for 20 minutes. Brush each cookie with egg and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.