Apricot Cheese Pastry Hearts

1 cup of sifted all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of butter or margarine
1/2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
Apricot or raspberry preserves
1 egg, beaten

Day before, if desired, make this Cheese Pastry: Into medium bowl sift
all purpose flour and salt; add butter or margarine and cream cheese,
in small pieces. With pastry blender or two knives, scissor fashion,
cut butter and cheese into flour mixture until all is well blended.
Shape into a ball, wrap in wax paper, saran or foil, then refrigerate.
Early on the day, or about two hours before serving: Lightly grease
two cookie sheets. Start heating oven to 400ºF. On floured surface,
roll out cheese dough 1/8 inch thick. Then, with 3 x 2 3/4 inch heart
shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts. Remove trimmings; re-roll and
cut out once or twice again. Next, in center of each of half of pastry
hearts, place 1 scant teaspoonful of preserves. Now brush their edges
with beaten egg, cover each with another cutout heart, then, with
fork, lightly press edges together. Arrange on cookie sheet. Brush top
of each with beaten egg; sprinkle with granulated sugar, if desired.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden; cool on rack. Makes about 24.