Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book - Bruce Weinstein [57]
8 ounces cream cheese (regular or low-fat, but not nonfat), softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1. Mix the whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
2. Use an electric mixer at medium speed to soften and blend the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat the mixture until soft and quite light, about 2 more minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
3. Remove the beaters and stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon just until a soft dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball without kneading. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
4. Position the rack in the middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter two large baking sheets and set them aside.
5. Place the chocolate in the top half of a double boiler set over a little more than 1 inch of simmering water. If you don’t have a double boiler, use a medium bowl that fits snugly over a medium saucepan with a similar amount of simmering water. Take care that no steam gets into the melting chocolate; adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Stir until half the chocolate has melted, then remove the double boiler’s top half or the bowl from the simmering water and continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
6. Divide the chilled dough in half. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place half the dough on the work surface, then roll it into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Spread this circle with half the melted chocolate, leaving a 1-inch border around the circumference. Sprinkle the chocolate coating with half the chopped nuts.
7. Work quickly so you can finish making the rugelach before the chocolate hardens. Use a pizza roller or a long, sharp knife to cut the circle into 16 wedges, like cutting a pizza into 16 slices. Separate these slices from the whole, then, starting at the wide edge, roll each one up toward the point of the wedge. Place them, tip side down, on one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Prepare the second half of the dough, rolling it out, coating it in chocolate and nuts, cutting it into slices, rolling the slices up—just as you did with the first half. Place these on the second prepared baking sheet and bake as indicated.
Recommended storage
3 days at room temperature
2 months in the freezer
Customize It!
Substitute chopped hazelnuts or chopped pecans for the walnuts. Or reduce the walnuts to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup chopped apricots, chopped dates, chopped figs, raisins, or sweetened shredded coconut with the remaining nuts.
CHOCOLATE SANDIES
The addition of chocolate makes these a little moister—and certainly even better—than traditional pecan sandies. Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving so they’ll still have that delicious crack.
MAKES ABOUT 31/2 DOZEN COOKIES
5 cups pecan pieces
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (4 ounces), plus additional for greasing the baking sheets
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites, beaten in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons water until foamy
1. Position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a small dab of shortening on a piece of crumpled wax