Chewy Rugelach with Cottage Cheese Filling

Combine cottage cheese and the contents of one cup of butter in a bowl, ensuring everything is well incorporated. Thoroughly mix the two until they form a cohesive whole, then gradually incorporate the flour into the mixture. The resulting dough will be sticky in nature.

Divide this dough into three equal portions and wrap each portion with waxed paper, refrigerating them for at least 2 hours to allow the ingredients to meld together.

Preheat your oven to a temperature of 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), taking care not to exceed the recommended heat level. Lightly grease a baking sheet with a thin layer of cooking oil.

Combine the remaining quarter cup of butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and raisins in a separate bowl. Set this mixture aside for later use.

Roll one ball of dough at a time into a 9-inch circle on a surface dusted with flour, keeping the remaining dough chilled in the refrigerator. Spread one tablespoon of the optional orange marmalade over each circle, being gentle not to tear the dough. Press one-third of the nut mixture into the center of each circle, taking care not to overfill. Cut each circle into 16 wedges and roll each wedge tightly, starting with the wider end.

Place these cookies point-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining dough, making sure to brush each cookie lightly with a mixture of beaten egg white and water in a small bowl.

Bake these cookies in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they have reached a golden brown color.