I like to make stuff up. Today,
instead of words, I give you cookies. Every year for Christmas and
Easter- or whenever someone I like bugs me for them- I make Rugelach. Ina Garten's Rugelach recipe is the best. Last
Christmas, I was craving almond pastry, but all the local bakeries were closed. A can of almond paste was taking up
space in my cupboard and Garten's Rugelach dough was stacked on my
refrigerator shelf. You can guess the rest. An experiment that could have gone
so wrong became the genesis of ALMONACH (yes, the name is made up, too.) I brought these cookies to a dinner party, and unsuspecting guinea pig guests devoured them-
before dinner. Gorgeous and delicious. Every so often, made-up stuff rocks!
It’s
Christmastime. Skip the stress. Bake the cookies. GUSTARE!
ALMONACH
Dough adapted from Ina Garten's Rugelach recipe. Makes
4 dozen cookies
DOUGH:
8
ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
FILLING:
8 ounce
can Pure Almond Paste
1 cup almonds,
finely chopped
1 egg
beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
ICING:
1 and 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons
milk
1 teaspoon butter, melted (OPTIONAL)
Bake whole almonds in 350 degree
oven for eight minutes. Cool and chop till fine.
Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light, 2-3 minutes. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Set dough on a floured board or tabletop and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, roll each quarter into a ball, then flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Wrap sections separately in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
On a floured board or tabletop, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Evenly sprinkle the dough with 1/4 cup of chopped almonds. Crumble one section of almond paste (there are four in the can) into pencil eraser size crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over chopped almonds and dough, and lightly press almond paste and chopped almonds onto dough. Section the circle into 12 equal wedges (I use a dough knife for this)--cutting the whole circle into quarters, and each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge of each triangle, tightly roll dough forward toward point. Tuck stray almonds or paste inside cookie wrap. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Brush each chilled cookie with the egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. Mix ingredients for icing (add a smidgeon of milk if too thick) and drizzle over cooled Almonach.
Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light, 2-3 minutes. Add sugar, salt, and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Set dough on a floured board or tabletop and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, roll each quarter into a ball, then flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Wrap sections separately in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
On a floured board or tabletop, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Evenly sprinkle the dough with 1/4 cup of chopped almonds. Crumble one section of almond paste (there are four in the can) into pencil eraser size crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over chopped almonds and dough, and lightly press almond paste and chopped almonds onto dough. Section the circle into 12 equal wedges (I use a dough knife for this)--cutting the whole circle into quarters, and each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge of each triangle, tightly roll dough forward toward point. Tuck stray almonds or paste inside cookie wrap. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Brush each chilled cookie with the egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. Mix ingredients for icing (add a smidgeon of milk if too thick) and drizzle over cooled Almonach.
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