JAMMY RUGULAH

Steps:

• First, make pastry.
• Place flour in a bowl, and add cold butter pieces; using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour.
• Add cream cheese and also cut in.
• You can do the above in a food processor, if you don't wish to do it by hand.
• 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).
• 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).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place jam in a small bowl and stir it until it is spreadable.
• In another small bowl, combine the white sugar with the nuts and lemon zest.
• 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.
• Spread half the jam over the circle, them sprinkle on half the nut mixture.
• 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.
• Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet.
• Repeat procedure with remaining dough, remaining jam, and remaining nut mixture.
• Beat the egg, and brush beaten egg on top of all cookies; sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Bake until cookies are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool on racks; dust with sifted icing sugar if desired.