Pistachio cream rugelach

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, then stir in the pistachio cream along with 1 tbsp of just-boiled water. Mix in the chocolate to melt.

• step 2

  Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured worksurface into a roughly 40cm x 30cm rectangle. With one of the longer edges closest to you, lightly score a line horizontally through the middle – this is just to help you position the filling so score it very lightly.

• step 3

  Spread the pistachio mixture down the middle of the bottom half of the pastry, then spread out evenly across that half, leaving a 1-inch gap from the open edge. Fold the pastry in half to cover the filling. Seal by using a rolling pin to gently roll over it again.

• step 4

  Cut the pastry into six rectangles, then cut each diagonally into triangles. Take one of the triangles and gently press the open sides to seal. Starting from the wider end, roll it up, brushing the last inch with the beaten egg, to make a croissant shape. Gently push the tip down to seal, then put, tip-side down, onto a lined baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the pastry triangles. Brush them all with more egg, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

• step 5

  Meanwhile, put the sugar in a small pan with 50ml of water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Leave to bubble away for 3-5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and it’s a little jammy. Brush over the cooked pastries and leave to cool completely.