TwD - Rugelach - Baking with Julia

My husband joined the Air Force after college.  His first assignment after pilot training was at Beale AFB in California.  It was a long way from home.  Gary and I were in our early 20s and very naive.  On his first day of in processing a very nice major befriended him and showed him the ropes.  The major, Norm and his wife, Lori, became our good friends and mentors.  They made being so far from home much nicer and eased us into the Air Force way of life. And Lori taught me how to make Cream Cheese Cookies.

Lori's Cream Cheese Cookies

This has been our favorite cookie ever since.  The dough is much like the rugelach dough in Baking with Julia.  The cookie dough is rolled after chilling and cut into whatever shape you desire.  Put a dollop of your favorite jam, fold the dough over the filling and bake.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool and enjoy!  Which we did with Norm and Lori again and again.

After many years and many moves and a divorce (them, not us) we lost contact with Norm and Lori.  A couple of years ago Lori found me and our friendship picked up right where we left off.

 Sadly we didn't have much time together.  Lori was sick and died last year.  Many times we talked about meeting again but she lived in North Carolina and I lived in Oklahoma and it wasn't until her daughter called to say Lori was in the hospital and wasn't going to make it that I hurried to see her.  Her daughter said "Mom open your eyes and see who I brought you."  Though she was in a drug induced state she opened her eyes and saw me.  Tears fell, hers and mine.  She didn't look at me again and died the next day.

Prune Ruglach 

These wonderful rugelach brought all that back to me.  The dough is easy to make.  I used the food processor and mixed the dough like a pie crust.  Next time I'll use the mixer and cream the softened butter and cream cheese like a cookie dough.  Still it wasn't difficult and it came together easily using a technique known as fraisage, smearing the dough against the countertop using the heel of your hand.

I made prune and apricot lekvars and both were delicious!  I think the prune is my favorite though. The filling was raisins, figs, and apricots.  I rolled and sliced one batch and the other I made into crescents.  Both worked easily and held the filling quite nicely.

Apricot Rugelach

I love this baking group and this cookbook.  We are in our 2nd month and I've learned so many new things.  The hosts for this recipe are Jessica and Margaret.  Stop by TwD to see what everyone experienced with this recipe.