Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients

For the rugelach dough

8 oz butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the filling

1 cup apricot jam
1 ½ cups bittersweet chocolate chips
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 ½ cups walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 cup plumped dried currants

To build

Cinnamon sugar:
½ cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Egg wash:
2 Whole eggs
2 tablespoons water

Special Equipment

Parchment paper
4 half sheet pans
Plastic wrap

Instructions

For the Dough

Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add the flour and mix in the zest, salt and juice.  The dough will be very sticky and wet. Divide the dough into two portions and spread onto 2 separate pieces of parchment paper covering each with another sheet of parchment. Roll out each until they are an even 1/8” thick and chill sheets till firm.

To Build

Soak the currants in hot water for at least 30 minutes or until they have plumped up a bit then strain and discard water. Mix together the chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts and currants. Spread a thin layer of apricot jam over the sheets of dough. Evenly distribute the filling on top of the layer of jam and roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill or freeze for easy slicing.  Unwrap and brush the logs with egg wash.  Top with sugar and slice into ½ inch pieces.  Each log should yield about 24 slices.

Place on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 – 40 minutes until cooked inside and golden brown outside.