Lingonberry Rugelach with Cardamom Sugar

Yield: 4 dozen rugelach

Ingredients

Dough:

• 8 ounces (226g) full fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt

Filling:

• 6 Tbsp (85g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (53g) light brown sugar, packed
• ¾ tsp Burlap & Barrel Cloud Forest Cardamom*
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (142g) almonds, finely chopped
• ½ cup (170g) Hafi Lingonberry Preserves

Topping:

• 2 Tbsp (28g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp Burlap & Barrel Cloud Forest Cardamom*
• ¼ cup (57g) whole milk

*You may wish to grind this high-quality cardamom into a finer powder for baking purposes.

Directions

1. Start by making the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix butter and cream cheese on medium until fully combined.
2. Mix in sugar and almond extract.
3. Add flour and salt to butter mixture. Mix again on low just until incorporated.
4. Divide dough into four. Wrap dough balls individually in cling film, then press into patty shapes. Place wrapped dough in fridge to chill for 2 hours or overnight.
5. While your dough is chillin’, make your fillin’. In a medium bowl, mix together sugars, cardamom, cinnamon, and almonds. Set aside.
6. Once your dough has chilled, remove from fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes. (This will make the dough easier to roll out.)
7. Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
8. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Place one dough patty on your work surface, and sprinkle top with a little bit of flour.
9. Begin gently rolling out the dough into a circle, making sure to pick up and rotate the dough every few rolls until your dough is roughly a 9" circle and ⅛-inch thick.
10. Spread 2 tablespoons of lingonberry preserves evenly over the dough circle with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle about ½ cup (70g) of the cardamom-almond filling over the preserves, then gently (yet firmly) press filling into the dough.
11. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut dough circle into 12 triangles (like you’re cutting a pizza or a pie). Very gently slide an offset spatula under the dough triangles to loosen them from your work surface.
12. To form your rugelach, start at the wide end of a triangle and roll towards the narrow tip. Then bend the ends towards each other a smidge to create a slight crescent shape.
13. Place your first dozen rugelach on prepared baking sheet with narrow tips tucked under the bottoms. Lightly cover with cling film and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
14. Repeat with remaining three dough patties to form three dozen more rugelach.
15. Towards the end of your chill time, heat oven to 350°F.
16. Make the topping by mixing sugar and cardamom together in a small bowl. Brush chilled rugelach with milk, then sprinkle with cardamom sugar.
17. Bake 25–28 minutes or until golden, rotating baking sheets halfway through.
18. Allow rugelach to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Adapted from: Melissa Clark (who adapted her recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum)