Raspberry Rugelach

The cream cheese dough cannot be overworked, it never gets tough, and it always tastes good.

Cream Cheese Dough
4 ounces cold cream cheese, quartered
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour

Let cold cream cheese and butter stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Put the flour into a food processor. Scatter the cream cheese and butter pieces over the flour and pulse on and off 6 to 8 times. Let the machine run, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl frequently, until the dough forms large curds. Don't process so long that the dough forms a ball on the blade. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather it into a ball. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a square. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before using. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Filling
2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup plump, moist currants
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 10-inch square. Using a pastry brush, spread a thin coating of jam over the dough. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of this mixture over the dough. Scatter half the currants and chocolate over the dough. Cover the dough with a sheet of wax paper and, using your hands, gently press the ingredients into the dough. Remove the paper.

Mark the top and bottom edges of the dough at 2-inch intervals. Using these marks as guides, cut diagonally across the dough to make a diamond-shape pattern, then cut through the dough crosswise to make 18 equal triangles. There will be 2 odd pieces of dough at either end. These can be pieced together.

Starting at the wide base of each triangle, roll up the dough so that each cookie looks like a miniature croissant. Place the cookies on the baking sheets with the points tucked underneath. Refrigerate the cookies for at least 30 minutes before baking, or freeze. Shaped cookies can be frozen for up to 2 weeks, then baked without thawing. Repeat with remaining dough, jam, cinnamon-sugar, currants and chocolate chips.

Position 2 racks to divide the oven in thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the egg with the cold water to make a glaze. Brush a little glaze over each cookie. Sprinkle the cookies with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Frozen cookies will take 5 to 7 minutes longer. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool to room temperature.

Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days or frozen for 1 month.