Hello Bakers,
On Saturday’s show I demoed Rugelach - adding some layers do the mix to build in more flakiness. This is an optional step but it’s worth it. Here is the link to Saturday’s show with the Rugelach demo. Saturday's Show
Rugelach is a traditional Jewish pastry served during holidays and celebrations. It started as a yeasted laminated dough - not unlike croissants and then in the 1950s was transformed into a rich cream cheese dough.
Classically, the dough has no sugar in it. It is equal parts, butter, cream cheese, flour and salt.
Fillings can be sweet or savory. More on fillings in the text below.
Rugelach goes together easily. The dough can be made a day ahead. It will hold for a day in the refrigerator and up to a month in the freezer.
Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, scale, bowl scraper, rolling pin, sheet pan lined with parchment paper, pastry wheel, pastry rulers (yardstick cut in half).
Ingredients:
170g all purpose flour (1 ⅓ cups +1 Tablespoon)
170g unsalted butter (12 Tablespoons) - cut into medium sized cubes - very cool room temp not chilled
170g cream cheese (12 Tablespoons) - cut into medium sized cubes - very cool room temp not chilled
1g salt (¼ teaspoon)
Extras: for rolling and finishing: flour for the work surface (bench flour), 1 egg white beaten until it is smooth or water, sugar for final prebake finish.
In the mixer with the paddle attachment: combine the butter and cream cheese. Mix on low (until the mixture begins to come together) and then increase speed to medium and mix for about 1 - ½ minutes on medium. The butter and cream cheese should be combined but it doesn’t need to be a smooth blend.
Sift flour and salt and add to butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
Scrape the dough out of the mixer and place on a lightly floured work surface.
Roll into a rough rectangle 12 x 6” fold into thirds.
Give the dough a ¼ turn and roll to approximately 15X6 -¼ thick, shore up the sides and fold into thirds.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Fillings: good quality jam - any flavor, finely chopped nuts, cinnamon sugar, mini chocolate chips, nutella
Note: Rugelach can also be savory - pesto, chopped pine nuts and cheese, pizza rugelach - so many possibilities.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove the dough from the refrigertor, divide in half - work with half the dough at a time and return the remaining dough to the refrigerator.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10” circle, 1/8” thick.
Spread with jam, top with finely chopped nuts and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.
Cut the circle into half crosswise and lengthwise and then into 10 equal pieces.
Roll wide end to narrow end - they will look like little croissants.
Place 1” apart on prepared sheet pan. Brush with the beated egg white or water and sprinkle with sugar, sanding sugar (larger crystals) or cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes - double panning halfway through if the bottoms of the rugelach are over browning.
Let rugelach cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for up the five days.