Rugelach have pronounced tastiness
You say “roog-a-lah.” I say “roog-a-lach.” However you say it, rugelach — the tasty, filled Eastern European pastries — are must-have treats.
Rugelach often are served at Hanukkah and other Jewish holidays, but these flaky cookies don’t really get the same acclamation in holiday lore as, perhaps, gingerbread does. It’s a shame because rugelach have a flavor, a texture and the creative license to blow away any traditional holiday competition.
Yiddish for “little twists,” rugelach have a history cradled by Eastern European roots. You can taste it in the flaky crescent dough, too.
Much like a Polish kolachke, this pastry has dough rich with butter, cream cheese and sour cream. But unlike the kolachke with its denseness, the rugelach takes on a different — and dare I say better — quality when baked. Caramelized by the tiny pieces of butter, the crust bakes up a little flakier and lighter. The outer edges create crisp layers, while the denseness and tasty flavor of the dough remain hidden inside.
The filling, though, is what sets the rugelach apart from any of its filled cookie brethren. Pick a filling, any filling, and pop it in. Chocolate, cinnamon and nut remain favorites; but jam, dried fruits, white chocolate or any combination of the above are welcomed. And because the pastry dough is unsweetened, savory fillings provide the basis for an excellent hors d’oeuvres or cocktail snack.
As a savory snack during winter, I prefer dried herbs and goat cheese in my rugelach. As a holiday pastry, though, I love my rugelach with a chocolate and pecan filling.
This rugelach filling, prepared with good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped pecans for a little earthiness and just a hint of cinnamon, provides everything that should be in a winter holiday cookie: richness, depth and just a teensy bit of spice.
These chocolate rugelach make plain old gingerbread seem vapid and frosted sugar cookies even more uninspiring. And unlike the latter, rugelach are perfect for any time of year, not just the holidays. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. Prepare filling in a medium bowl by combining all ingredients. Set aside. Heat oven to 350. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about a 10-inch circle. Brush it lightly with water. Spread about 1/3 of the filling onto the round. Press the filling down into the dough gently to anchor it. Use a pizza cutter to divide the dough into 8 equal wedges. Roll each wedge up, beginning with the wide end and ending with the narrow end, making a croissant shape. Place the rolls pointside down on a parchmentlined, rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough. At this point, you can freeze the prepared cookies, if you want. Just bring to room temperature before baking. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle on rugelach. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. As the cookies bake, the butter will lightly fry the bottoms, yielding a crunchy crust and caramelized base. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 24 rugelach. Recipe for dough adapted
from King Arthur Flour