Black Forest Rugalach
Submitted by gymflipper
Black Forest rugalach pastries with a cream cheese dough wrapped around boozy cherry, dark chocolate and walnut filling. The Jewish bakery classic given a chocolate-cherry overhaul straight out of the German cake playbook.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
50 minBlack Forest cake meets traditional rugalach in this chocolate-cherry hybrid. The dough is the giveaway that this is the real deal: equal parts butter and cream cheese, no sugar at all in the dough itself, which keeps it pliable and tangy as a counterweight to the rich filling. Plan ahead because both the cherries and the dough need overnight rests. The cherries soak in cherry liqueur until plump, while the dough chills until firm enough to roll without sticking.
The filling comes together in a food processor: chocolate pulsed to pea-sized chunks (not melted), cocoa for depth, cinnamon for warmth, walnuts for crunch, and those boozy cherries. Rolled outside-in into crescents, the layered dough bakes into flaky pastry with pockets of chocolate that soften just enough in the heat.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t skip the overnight cherry soak. Dried cherries need the time to plump and soften, otherwise they tear the thin dough as you roll.
- Pulse the chocolate just to pea size. Too fine and it melts into a paste during baking instead of staying as distinct pockets.
- Brush the egg glaze on the dough BEFORE adding the filling. It glues the filling to the dough so less falls out when rolling.
- Place each crescent point-side-down on the sheet. This stops them unrolling in the oven.
- These freeze beautifully. Bake, cool fully, then freeze in airtight containers for up to two months.
Variations
- Swap the cherry liqueur for brandy, rum, or even orange juice if you would rather skip alcohol.
- Use dried cranberries and white chocolate for a holiday twist.
- Add a half-teaspoon of espresso powder to the filling to deepen the chocolate notes.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the died cherries and the liqueur; cover and let stand for at least 4 hours, or overnight, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, blend the cream cheese and butter until well combined, light and fluffy.
Gradually beat in the flour and salt. The dough will be very soft. Divide and flatten the dough into 4 disks; wrap each in a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight, until firm enough to handle. Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Drain the cherries, reserving the thickened syrup for another use. Place the sugar, chocolate, cocoa and cinnamon in a food processor; cover and pulse chop until the chocolate forms pea-sized pieces.
Add the walnuts and drained cherries; pulse chop until both are coarsely chopped.
In a cup, beat together the egg and water. Roll out the dough, one disk at a time, on a lightly floured surface, to form and 8-inch circle. Brush with the egg glaze.
Sprinkle ¼ of the filling over the top, pressing lightly to adhere the filling to the dough.
Cut the circle into 12 wedges with a sharp knife. Roll up each wedge from the outside in, to form a crescent; tuck in any of the filling that falls out as the dough is rolled.
Place the crescents, point side down, 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Brush with additional egg glaze. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden. Cool on the cookie sheets on wire racks for about 2 minutes.
Gently loosen them with a metal spatula and transfer to the racks. Cool completely before storing in airtight containers. These cookies freeze well.
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