Rugelah

I love rugelah and offer it as a catering option to my clients. This is a wonderful recipe to add to your kosher recipe files.

MAKES 40 RUGELACH

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1 egg
2¾ cups flour
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp. kosher salt
5 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
½ cup apricot jam
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup currants
1 egg, lightly beaten

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed. Add sour cream and egg and continue beating until smooth. Add flour, sugar, and salt and continue beating mixture on low speed until a dough forms around paddle. Divide dough into 4 balls and wrap each in plastic; refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Make the filling: Heat oven to 350°. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, use a rolling pin to roll out a 10″ circle. Spread 2 tbsp. jam over surface of circle, leaving a ¼ border around edges and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. cinnamon-sugar, 2 tbsp. walnuts, and 2 tbsp. currants; press filling lightly with hands to adhere to jam. Using a knife, cut dough into 10 wedges. Working with 1 wedge at a time, roll up from wide end to narrow end. Transfer rolled crescent to a parchment paper—lined baking sheet; repeat with remaining dough balls, jam, 3 tbsp. cinnamon-sugar, walnuts, and currants. Brush crescents with beaten egg and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar. Bake, rotating baking sheets half-way through cooking, until well browned, about 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool before serving.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #134