My mom made Ina Garten's recipe for rugelah recently, and told me how easy and delicious it was. What is rugelah you ask? It's a Jewish pastry, made from a cream cheese dough, filled with nuts, poppy seeds, cinnamon and sugar, and various jams or pastes, like apricot, prune or raspberry. It's delicious, and you can always find them at Jewish bakeries (are there any around here?) or Ralphs. Yes, Ralphs sells them in a variety of flavors, but I have always thought that the dough was too thick, and well, doughy. Ina's recipe is light and delicious, and I lightened it up a bit by using cream cheese with 1/3 less fat, and apricot preserves made without sugar. They came out very well, and are a nice little house gift, or in my case, a little nosh after dinner. Ron has already eaten half of them. They are time consuming. I suggest making the dough on day one, letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Then make the filling and assemble on day two. They are worth the effort.
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature - I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese.
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot preserves, puréed in a food processor-I used preserves with no sugar added
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour. I did this step on day one.
To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.
On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. I did not spread the preserves all the way to the sides. Leave at least 1/2 inch space with no filling. This will prevent the preserves from melting and oozing out during cooking. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes. I did this on day two.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. I also cooked them on day two.
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup apricot preserves, puréed in a food processor-I used preserves with no sugar added
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour. I did this step on day one.
To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the raisins, and walnuts.
On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons apricot preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. I did not spread the preserves all the way to the sides. Leave at least 1/2 inch space with no filling. This will prevent the preserves from melting and oozing out during cooking. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges—cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes. I did this on day two.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. I also cooked them on day two.
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