Raglars
by Gail Lang

8 ounces cream cheese                     
1/2 pound butter          
1 cup  bread flour     
1 1/4 cup cake flour                          
1 tsp baking powder                                 
1/2 tsp salt
16 ounces apricot preserves
24 Vanilla Wafer cookies
1/2 pound pecan halves or pieces
1 cup sugar (to roll the dough in)
1/2 cup bread flour to rub into pastry linen and 
to rub onto the rolling pin cover before each use.

Preparation Time - 45 minutes

1. Set cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl to soften.
2. Using a blender, blend apricot preserves until smooth and creamy. Return to jar and put in refrigerator to stay chilled till needed.
3. Measure and combine bread flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. Cover 4 cookie pans (12" x 18") with aluminum foil and then parchment baking paper. Set aside.
5. Prepare linen pastry cloth and cloth rolling pin cover by rubbing bread flour into them, lightly brush off excess. Set aside.
6. Chop pecans into small pieces about 1/8 inch. Set aside.
7. Crush cookies into fine crumbs. Set aside.

Making Dough - 10 minutes

1. Using a good strong mixer, mix cream cheese and butter in large bowl until well blended. Stir occasionally. Do not whip!
2. Add dry ingredients and mix well, using slow speed.
3. Divide dough into 4 sections.

Working Dough - 15 minutes for each 1/4 of dough

***NOTE*** Handle dough gently. It is a very tender, delicate dough. Work with 1/4 of dough at a time. Repeat all instructions for each 1/4. Flour rolling pin before each use. Preheat oven to 375^o

1. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar evenly over linen pastry cloth (an area approximately 5" x 20")
2. Take 1/4 of dough and stretch it gently into a 18 - 20 inch long (1 inch diameter) log. You may want to stretch and work part at a time until you complete your log. Lay it across the center of the pastry cloth as you work. It sticks to itself easily.
3. Using a rolling pin with a floured cover, gently roll out to a 5" x 20" rectangle. If it doesn't roll out into a nice rectangle, cut off excess here and there and fill in areas to make your rectangle.
4. Gently spread 1/4 of preserves evenly over dough to within 1/2" of sides.
5. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 of cookie crumbs.
6. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 of chopped nuts.
7. Roll by gently lifting the long edge of the cloth and letting dough roll into a 20" long log with the seam on the bottom.
8. Cut into 18 - 20 1 inch long cookies. Place seam down 1" apart on parchment covered cookie sheet.
9. Cook at 375^o until lightly golden brown on edges, approximately 14 - 16 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a spatula, gently remove from pan immediately and put on a flat surface. Let set for 5 - 10 minutes. Can be served warm or cool. Serve with a dried apricot and parsley to garnish. Excellent when served with coffee. Store in tightly sealed container in refrigerator.

*Yield: 74 - 80 cookies