Rugalah/Elaine
Submitted by aja119
Homemade rugelach filled with ground walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and sugar, rolled into crescent shapes from a buttery honey-enriched dough. A classic Jewish bakery cookie.
YIELD
3 dozenPREP
25 minCOOK
18 minREADY
2 hrsRugelach is one of those cookies that looks fancy but is really just rolled-up dough with a nutty, fruity filling inside. This version uses a butter-and-egg dough sweetened with honey instead of the traditional cream cheese pastry, which gives it a richer, more bread-like crumb.
The filling is ground walnuts, raisins, sugar, and cinnamon, pressed into a buttered round of dough, then cut into wedges and rolled from the wide edge to the point like a tiny croissant. The butter brushed on before the filling goes down is what creates those flaky, golden layers.
Cold dough is everything here. The recipe warns you, and it’s right. If the dough warms up, it gets sticky and tears when you try to roll it. Two hours minimum in the fridge, and work with one third at a time while the rest stays cold.
Kitchen Tips
- Roll the dough between waxed paper to prevent sticking without adding extra flour, which toughens the cookies
- If the dough cracks when rolling, let it sit at room temperature for just 5 minutes, no more
- Place them point-side down on the baking sheet so they don’t unroll during baking
- Watch them closely after 12 minutes. They go from golden to burnt fast
Variations
- Spread a thin layer of apricot jam or raspberry preserves under the nut filling for extra moisture and flavor
- Use pecans or almonds instead of walnuts
- Add mini chocolate chips to the filling for a chocolate rugelach twist
Ingredients
Directions
FILLING: Combine walnuts, raisins, sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and blend well.
Set aside. This is very forgiving. You can use jelly and different nut and flavor combinations.
What ever tastes right to you and makes a nice thick filling.
DOUGH: Combine the flour with sugar and sift in large bowl.
Add the butter, eggs, honey, baking powder and mix.
You want a dough that mixes easily, not to stiff.
You might need to add more flour to make it pliable enough.
Divide dough into thirds, Flatten into thin discs between sheets of waxed paper.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours. This is an important step.
The dough MUST rest and it must be COLD to work and handle properly.
Preheat your oven to 350; prepare your first cookie sheet by greasing and then flouring it and be sure to shake off the excess flour.
Remove one batch of dough from refrigerator. Roll it out into 12 inch circle, brush generously with melted butter.
Sprinkle with ⅓ of the filling; pat mixture into dough. Drizzle a little more butter over top.
Cut into 16 wedges using pizza cutter or very sharp knife. Roll each triangle up from outside LARGER edge to the TINY point; curve slightly.
Arrange on prepared baking sheet point side down. Bake until golden, about 15 to 18 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Repeat with remaining dough.
NOTE: This is not an easy dough to work with.
You need to have everything COLD.
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