I’m not exactly sure what came first, my craving for chicken pot pie or desire for some flaky pastry.  Or maybe the chicken pot pie filling was just an excuse to make my favorite cream cheese dough?  All I know is I was standing at my frig sizing up my options, pleased to discover I did indeed have all the ingredients for both.  And not only that, I had enough cream cheese and butter to make a double batch of dough, so the question was what was I going to make with the other half of dough?  Okay, I know I could’ve just popped the unused half into a ziploc bag and stashed it in the freezer to use another time.  But since I was going to have to turn on the oven, I might as well make something totally different…like rugalach.

Cream dough is the classic pastry of choice for rugalach, those flaky tender bite-size cookies filled and rolled with jam, poppyseeds, nuts, chocolate and/or dried fruit, among sweet fillings.  The shape is reminiscent of a crescent roll, where you start at the bottom of the triangle and roll towards the pointed end. For my version of rugalach this time, I chose a thin base of tart cherry jam, topped with a generous sprinkling of chopped mini chocolate chips and dried tart cherries.

I brushed each crescent with a light coating of egg wash, sprinkled on turbinado sugar and baked them at 375°F for 22-25 mins. or until golden brown.

Once cooled, I dusted them with powdered sugar.

They were a nice not-too-sweet after dinner treat–complimentary bookend to a meal that began with a hearty cream cheese pastry-topped chicken pot pie, bubbling with velvety herb-infused gravy, filled with tender chicken and vegetables.

One versatile dough…two equally delicious results.

Cream Cheese Dough

• 4 oz. cold cream cheese, cut into small pieces
• 12 oz. cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t. Kosher salt
• 1 T. cider vinegar
• 2 T. ice water

Lay the butter and cream cheese out on a small lined sheet tray and freeze for about 15 mins.  Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.  Add the butter and cream cheese, then pulse at 3 second intervals until mixture is a coarse crumble.  Drizzle in the ice water and vinegar, then pulse few times until dough begins to come together.  Divide the dough onto two sheets of plastic, wrap and flatten into disks.  Chill for at least 30 mins. before using.

For Rugalach:

Divide one disk into three portions.  Roll each out to 1/8″ thickness and cut out 8″ round.  Cut each round into 6 equal triangular sections.  Spread a layer of filling on each triangle, then roll from the widest end towards the pointed end.

For Chicken Pot Pie:

Roll one disk out to 1/8″ thick round, then place over cooled prepared chicken vegetable filling, tucking under the edges.  Brush the surface with egg wash and sprinkle a thin layer of grated parmesan, cracked black pepper, and coarse sea salt.  Cut air vents to allow steam to escape.  Bake at 400°F for about 45 mins. or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling.