This past fall, the Zayin class baked rugelach for their Tikun Olam project, which involves preparing and serving dinner to Family Promise (a local shelter.) Rugelach is a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin. Traditional rugelach are made in the form of a crescent by rolling a triangle of dough around a filling. We used this recipe adapted from A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, by Marcy Goldman. Step 1 is to flour your hands!
TRADITIONAL RUGELACH
Dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Egg wash—3 Egg whites beaten with drop of water
Filling:
- Jar Apricot or strawberry jam
- ¾ – 1 cup Raisins (or other dried fruit)
- Cinnamon-sugar mixture (1/4 cup Brown Sugar & 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon)
- Mini chocolate chips (or white chocolate chips)
- (chopped nuts, optional)
Directions:
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
- Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.
- Make a well in the center and stir in the egg yolks, sour cream & vanilla to make dough.
(Dough will be soft and sticky) - Smooth the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Divide into 4 portions.
- Mold each portion into a ball and wrap in plastic.
- Chill dough for an hour (or freeze until needed.)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rugelach is sticky and parchment is essential - Roll 1 portion of dough into a circle.
- Spread or sprinkle dough with whatever filling you choose: (DO NOT OVERSTUFF)
-First Spread THIN layer of preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula.
-Second Sprinkle raisins or chocolate chips
-Finally Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cinnamon & brown sugar - Cut the dough with a pizza cutter into 12-16 wedges.
- Roll up the dough (start at wide side) to form a crescent.
- Place the rugelach on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush each crescent with the beaten egg whites
- Bake until lightly golden, about 25 minutes.
- Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to complete cooling.