Rugelach!

Against all wisdom accrued in years of teaching and years of baking, I decided to try out a baking project with the class with no parent help and with no experience with the recipe. Foolhardy? Of course. Delicious? Just wait until you try them. Once you do, I'm sure you'll want the recipe - it's taken from Joan Nathan's website.

DOUGH

8 ounces cream cheese
2 sticks (1 CUP) unsalted butter
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/4 cup crystallized or granulated sugar

APRICOT FILLING

1 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons cake crumbs (optional)
3/4 cup walnuts, broken up

OR CHOCOLATE FILLING

1 cup shaved bittersweet chocolate (about 8 ounces)
1/4 cup sugar

1. Place the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla in a food processor. Add the flour and pulse until a very soft dough is formed. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
   
2. Mix the ingredients for the filling of your choice and divide the dough into 4 balls. Roll the balls out into 4 circles, about 1/8 inch thick and spread with apricot filling or chocolate filling.
   
3. Cut into pie-shaped pieces an inch wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to the center. Beat the egg and brush the top. Sprinkle with the crystallized sugar and place flat on a greased cookie sheet. (Alternately, roll out each ball to a rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Top with the apricot filling or chocolate filling. Roll each rectangle into a jelly roll and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Lay flat on a greased cookie sheet. Beat the egg, brush the tops of each cookie, and sprinkle with the crystallized sugar.)
   
4. Bake on a greased cookie sheet in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: about 50 rugelach (D)