Four Star Rugelach + Cinnamon Twists

Directions

1. 1. Spoon cheese into a sieve over a bowl and allow it to drain for at least 2 hrs. Using a rubber spatula, toss cheese occasionally. Remove 1 c. of the liquid removed cheese for the dough.
2. 2. Process flour and salt just to combine. Scatter all the butter pcs over and process with on/off pulses till butter appears to disappear into the flour mix. Scatter the 1 c. cottage cheese over the mix and process with on/off pulses just till comes together into a cohesive ball.
3. 3. Divide dough into quarters; shape each into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill till hard, at leat 4 hrs; or possibly freeze, well wrapper, up to 1 month.
4. 4. 350 oven. Line baking sheet wtih foil. Combine sugar and cinnamon.
5. 5. Remove one dough package at a time from refrigerator. Set aside for 10 min before rolling on a lightly floured surface, roll into a 10 to 11" circle, 1/8" thick. With a small metal spatula, spread only 1 Tablespoons jam very thinly over dough. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons cinnamon-sugar, then with 1/4 c. nuts and 2 Tablespoons currants. With rolling pin, lightly roll to press filling ingredients into the dough.
6. 6. Using a sharp knife, cut circle into 16 pie-shaped wedges; roll each one up, beginning at the wide end. Place 1" apart, point down, on foil-lined sheet. Bake 15 to 20 min, or possibly till golden. Toward the end of baking, if pastries are browning too much on the bottom from some of the jam oozing out, move them off the jam to a clean spot on the sheet.
7. Cold 5 min, then, transfer rugelach to a wire rack to cold.