Recipe: Cheese Wheels (cream cheese pastry with apple butter and pecan fiiling)

CHEESE WHEELS

2 pkg (3 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup apple butter
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans

In a large bowl cream together the cream cheese and butter. Gradually add the flour, mixing well after each addition, to form a dough.

Divide the dough in half and roll out each half on a floured surface to forma thin rectangular crust. Spread the surface of each crust with half of the apple butter and sprinkle on half of the chopped nuts.

Starting with one of the long sides, roll as for a jelly roll, into a cylinder about 1-inch in diameter. Repeat with the other crust. Chill the rolls overnight.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, cut the rolls of dough in 1/8-inch slices.

Bake on an ungreased baking sheet until barely brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 48 servings
Source: Party Receipts by Mary Simpson Lang
From: CarolB, Fl - 11-10-97