Rugelach

Leave the butter and cream cheese at room temperature for a couple of hours to soften. Do not use them straight out of the fridge; they must be soft.

Set your oven to 180°C (350°F).

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and block cream cheese together on medium speed until light and fluffy. | 2. Add 2 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ½ cup of caster sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2½ cups of plain flour. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together.

1. Finely chop ½ cup of walnuts and set aside. | 2. If using thick preserves (e.g., orange marmalade), whisk with a fork to loosen before spreading.

1. Lightly flour your work surface. Knead the dough gently, forming it into a large block. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour. | 2. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Cover 3 pieces with a damp cloth to keep them from drying out. Roll the remaining piece into a smooth ball. | 3. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin circle, about 2–3mm thick.

1. Cut the rolled dough into 8 triangular wedges, like pizza slices. | 2. Spoon 1 teaspoon of fruit preserves onto the wide end of each triangle and spread lightly toward the center. Sprinkle a few chopped walnuts on top of the preserves at the wide end. | 3. Tuck in the sides of each triangle slightly to hold the filling, then roll from the wide end toward the narrow point to form a crescent shape.

1. Place the rugelach on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. | 2. Mix ¼ cup of caster sugar with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. | 3. Melt 50g of butter and brush each rugelach lightly with it. | 4. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mixture or roll the rugelach in the mixture for extra coating.

Bake the rugelach in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until they are a deep golden brown.

Let the rugelach cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.