-
1
Cut cold butter and cold cream cheese into the flour. Work quickly, using fingertips or a pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with distinct, pea-sized fat pieces visible throughout — the fat must remain in separate pieces, not blend smooth. Divide the dough into four equal discs, wrap each, and refrigerate until thoroughly firm, at least one hour. The dough is ready when it holds a clean edge under a knife.
-
2
Mix the jam with the finely chopped walnuts and cinnamon sugar. The jam binds the dry ingredients into a cohesive paste. The filling is ready when it spreads without running — it should hold a smear without pooling.
-
3
On a lightly floured surface, roll one cold dough disc into a circle approximately 3 mm thick. Spread the filling thinly and evenly across the surface, leaving a 5 mm border at the edge. The layer should be translucent-thin — thick enough to colour the dough but not to mound above it.
-
4
Cut the circle into eight equal wedges. Beginning at the wide outer edge of each wedge, roll firmly toward the centre point, keeping the roll tight. The finished crescent should show a closed, snug spiral at the wide end. Place on a lined baking sheet, point tucked underneath. Repeat with remaining discs.
-
5
Transfer the shaped rugelach, still on their baking sheets, to the freezer for 15 minutes. They are ready when the surface feels firm and cold to the touch — the fat in the dough should be set hard again before they enter the oven.
-
6
Brush each rugelach lightly with beaten egg wash. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 °C until the crescents are deep golden across the top and the underside is set and coloured. The finished rugelach should be uniformly amber — pale patches indicate underbaking; the egg wash surface should have a distinct sheen.