Joan Nathans Rugelach Cinnamon Chocolate Or Apricot Recipes

JOAN NATHAN'S RUGELACH (CINNAMON, CHOCOLATE, OR APRICOT)

Steps:

• To make the dough, place the cream cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment (or a Silpat baking mat).
• Mix the ingredients for the apricot or chocolate filling and divide the dough into 4 balls. On a lightly floured surface roll the balls out into 4 circles about 1/8-inch thick and 9 inches in diameter. Spread the apricot or chocolate filling over the dough. If using the cinnamon-sugar filling, brush the melted butter on first, then sprinkle the combined cinnamon and sugar.
• Using a dull knife, cut each circle into 16 pie-shaped pieces about 2 inches wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to the center. Place the rugelach on the lined cookie sheets. Bake in the oven on the middle and lower racks, switching after 12 minutes, also switching back to front. Continue baking about 13 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the rugelach to racks to cool.
• Sprinkle the apricot and chocolate rugelach with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

ITALIAN PLUM TART (JOAN NATHAN)

Steps:

• To make the crust, pulse the flour, sugar, and butter or margarine together in a food processor until crumbled. Then add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Place the dough in the center of a 9-inch pie plate and with your fingers, dusted with flour if needed, pat it out to cover the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for a half hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and pre bake the crust for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees and bake another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Mix the jam with the brandy in a small bowl and spread over the crust. Peel, pit and cut the plums in four pieces each. Place around in a circle so that each piece of plum overlaps the other and they eventually form a spiral into the center.
• Sprinkle with the cinnamon and lemon rind.
• Reduce the oven to 350 degrees. Return the taste to the oven and bake about 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the plums juicy. Remove the tart from the oven, sprinkle on the sugar, and serve.

JOAN NATHAN'S CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300. Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Melt the butter and combine with the graham cracker crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Save some crumbs.
• Combine the egg yolks, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and flour. Beat very well until light and fluffy.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining graham cracker crumbs.
• Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cake in the oven 1 additional hour. Then leave the oven door ajar 30 minutes more. (This prevents cracking).

JOAN NATHAN'S FAVORITE FALAFEL

Steps:

• Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain.
• Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
• Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
• Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
• Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, and garnishes and sauces of your choice.

JOAN NATHAN'S CLASSIC ISRAELI SCHNITZEL

Steps:

• Place one cutlet at a time inside a large plastic bag. With a meat mallet, pound the turkey or chicken slice as thin as possible and season well with salt and pepper.
• Spread the flour on a flat plate. Break the eggs into a pie plate and beat well. Put the bread crumbs on a third plate.
• Pour the oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of 1 inch and heat over a medium flame until almost smoking.
• Dip each turkey or chicken breast in flour, then in egg, and then in bread crumbs.
• Fry the schnitzels for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain the schnitzels on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

CHOCOLATE-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add cream cheese and cold butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. Add 1 tablespoon ice water and pulse until combined. Continue adding water as needed until dough stays together when squeezed.
• Divide dough in half. Form each piece into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the paper with nonstick spray.
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Mix apricot preserves and orange zest together for filling.
• Roll both discs of dough into 1/4-inch thick circles. Spread apricot preserve mixture over top of each circle and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
• Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Start at the wide edge and roll each wedge toward the point to create a crescent. Brush beaten egg over each crescent and sprinkle with sugar. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool before serving.