Jammy Rugulah

Directions

1. 1
   First, make pastry.
2. 2
   Place flour in a bowl, and add cold butter pieces; using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour.
3. 3
   Add cream cheese and also cut in.
4. 4
   You can do the above in a food processor, if you don't wish to do it by hand.
5. 5
   When butter and cream cheese have been cut in, knead with your hands until dough forms a ball (or process in food processor until mixture just forms a ball; don't over-process or dough will toughen).
6. 6
   Cut dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate (you can do this ahead of time, if you wish, and then make the cookies the next day).
7. 7
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
8. 8
   Place jam in a small bowl and stir it until it is spreadable.
9. 9
   In another small bowl, combine the white sugar with the nuts and lemon zest.
10. 10
    Remove one batch of dough from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface into a circle, at least 9 inches in diameter-- thinner/bigger is good, too, and will result in a crispier cookie.
11. 11
    Spread half the jam over the circle, them sprinkle on half the nut mixture.
12. 12
    Cut each circle into 12 wedges and tightly roll up each wedge, starting at the outside edge; bend/curve in each end so cookie resembles a crescent roll.
13. 13
    Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet.
14. 14
    Repeat procedure with remaining dough, remaining jam, and remaining nut mixture.
15. 15
    Beat the egg, and brush beaten egg on top of all cookies; sprinkle with coarse sugar.
16. 16
    Bake until cookies are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
17. 17
    Cool on racks; dust with sifted icing sugar if desired.