Forevermama's Crescent Rugelach Cookies

How to Make

• Step 1: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar in water.

• Step 2: Combine flour and salt in a mixer bowl. With mixer at low speed, beat in yeast mixture, egg yolks, cream and vanilla.

• Step 3: Blend in butter 2 tablespoons at a time until incorporated.

• Step 4: Wrap dough and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

• Step 5: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheets with foil. Grease foil.

• Step 6: Combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle heaping tablespoon on work surface (you will be using more of the sugar/cinnamon mixture for rolling). (If necessary, you may need to make more cinnamon-sugar mixture).

• Step 7: Divide dough into 10 pieces; shape into balls. Cover each ball with plastic wrap. Place balls in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be refrigerated overnight at this point).

• Step 8: Roll 1 ball into an 8" circle, turning to coat well with cinnamon-sugar. Cut into 8 wedges.

• Step 9: Place 1/2 tsp jam, a pinch of walnuts and a few golden raisins in the outer edge of each wedge.

• Step 10: Roll up each wedge from outer edge; transfer to cookie sheet, curving to form a crescent.

• Step 11: Repeat with remaining dough.

• Step 12: Bake 25-30 minutes, until browned and puffed.

• Step 13: Remove rugelach immediately from aluminum foil (Very important step or else they will stick to foil and you will end up having to peel foil from bottom of cookies).

• Step 14: Place on wire rack to cool.

• Step 15: Tip!: In order to remove seeds from raspberry jam, heat jam in a small saucepan over low heat until jam begins to melt. Pour melted jam into a sieve and with a spoon press the jam "liquid" through the sieve mesh. The sieve will separate the seeds from jam and you'll wind up with seedless jam.

• Step 16: Makes 70 - 80 cookies