Recipe Talk

Looking for the Marzipan Bakery's chocolate rugelach recipe. Chewy's rugelach recipe (any one of them) will do.

Rugelach

Jul 18, 2007 ... (Chocolate is my favorite.) Homemade rugelach is delicious,

... Tourists insist the bakery is called Marzipan, but if you ask locals .

From the book Joan Nathan?s Jewish Holiday Cookbook by Joan Nathan

Yield 64 cookies

Introduction

In the Middle Ages it was traditional to eat cheesecakes at Hanukkah in commemoration of the cheesecakes or pancakes Judith gave to General Holofernes. After eating these cakes, the general became thirsty for wine, which Judith also served him. Soon he swooned, Judith slew him, and the Jews were saved. Today many people serve sour-cream pancakes at Hanukkah in memory of Judith. Others serve rugelach, a half-moon cream-cheese cookie, which may be a far cry from the original cheesecake but is nevertheless a melt-in-the-mouth delicacy perfect for the fanciest party.

Probably the most popular of American Jewish cookies, this horn-shaped treat was made in Europe with butter; cream cheese was added in this country. I love Ann Amernick?s version: it has no sugar in the dough but a sprinkling on top of the finished cookie. She also uses this dough to make hamantashen.

Ingredients

The Dough

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

? tsp. salt

Apricot Filling

1 cup thick apricot preserves

? cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Chocolate Filling

1 cup (about 8 ounces) shaved bittersweet chocolate

? cup sugar

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

? cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

~ Confectioners? sugar

Steps

To make the dough, place the cream cheese and the butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Cream at a low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix until a very soft dough is formed, about 2 more minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment (or a Silpat baking mat).

Mix the ingredients for the apricot or chocolate filling and divide the dough into 4 balls. On a lightly floured surface roll the balls out into 4 circles about 1/8-inch thick and 9 inches in diameter. Spread the apricot or chocolate filling over the dough. If using the cinnamon-sugar filling, brush the melted butter on first, then sprinkle the combined cinnamon and sugar.

Using a dull knife, cut each circle into 16 pie-shaped pieces about 2 inches wide at the circumference. Roll up from the wide side to the center. Place the rugelach on the lined cookie sheets. Bake in the oven on the middle and lower racks, switching after 12 minutes, also switching back to front. Continue baking about 13 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the rugelach to racks to cool.

Sprinkle the apricot and chocolate rugelach with confectioners? sugar just before serving.

Notes

From the Culinate food editor: I, too, like the not-sweet dough, but think it could use a little salt, so I?ve added 1/4 tsp. salt.

My family also liked these variations: For the chocolate filling, I used Green & Black?s Maya Gold (dark chocolate with orange and spices), and to the cinnamon-sugar filling, I added currants and orange zest.

NGREDIENTS

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup unsalted butter
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
* 1/3 cup sour cream
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
* 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
* 1/2 cup raisins

number of stars

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly.
2. Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks...wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.
3. Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them.
4. Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins).
5. Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
7. After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers...they freeze very well.
8. Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets.