And as today is the first day (o.k., night) of Hanukkah, the first cookie on the first day of Cookiemas shall be rugelach.
Strawberry-Pistachio Rugelach
(Makes 36)
INGREDIENTS
2 packages (1 pound) cream cheese
1 pound unsalted, room temperature butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
4 cups AP flour
PROCEDURE
-Cream together cream cheese, butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Add salt, vanilla and milk. Mix until incorporated.
-Slowly add all flour until just incorporated. Don't overwork the dough.
-Using your hands turn the dough out onto a floured surface and lightly knead until smooth.
-Divide the dough into three even pieces (if you're going to be exact, each round will weight 1pound 1 ounce).
-Pat each piece of dough into a circle and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour.
-Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12 inch circle.
-Score the dough into 12 pieces. Don't cut through just yet, you'll find that unless you have a pie marker, you won't be as good at this as you'd like. Your pieces will be uneven and you'll be able to make corrections once you start cutting.
-At this stage, you can smear a light layer of jam (I used strawberry) over the entirety of the dough before cutting. However, I like a variety of flavors. Nutella, for instance. Who doesn't want to shove Nutella into everything they can? So at this stage, I cut the little triangles like a pizza pie and divide the triangles into a jammy schmear pile and a Nutella schmear pile.
-Using a small offset spatula, gently cover each triangle with a light coating of jam (or Nutella) and sprinkle with ground nuts for added texture and flavor.
-Roll each triangle of dough, starting at the wider end, into a crescent.
-Brush the rugelach with a light coating of milk and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
-Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Happy Hanukkah!!!
18 comments:
Cookiemas! Finally a holiday I believe in...
I love rugelach. And Cookiemas.
First, Cookiemas sounds like the best holiday ever; second, looks like you made my Saturday plans for me..baking party!
Looks very simple -- and delicious!
I love rugelach, and now I know why!... a pound of butter and a pound of cream cheese? Let the buttery hijinks begin!
i love this idea! usually i schmeared them with honey, topped with a mix of chopped walnuts and cinnamon. so many possibilities!! thanks, gesine :)
Can I just come stay with you for the holidays?
Nutella will do me very fine. Thanks Gesine!
Yum! Love the idea of adding the pistachios. Thanks for sharing.
Can this rest in the fridge longer?? Like overnight??
Shelly, this can stay in the fridge overnight but you'll want it to rest outside the fridge a while before rolling out so it doesn't crack.
One more question .... I have been reading through other Rugelach recipes and the say to bake with the tip down .... any idea why?? I can't see them being as nice looking if I do that.
Mine are baked with the tip down, as you'll notice in the pics. It's because if you don't tuck it under, when you bake it may curl up and unfurl the cookie. Same rule goes for croissant (though more important in a yeasted dough than in this application).
Cookiemas! Just the word fills my heart with joy! Thanks for the brightness, enthusiasm and such a sweet treat!
Yes, yours are tip down .. I hadn't noticed. They are browned so beautifully and even that my first thought was they wouldn't bake as nice that way. Merci for answering all my questions
I love this new holiday! Merry Cookiemas!
Love the new holiday Cookiemas, how many days does it last? Question, what mixture would you use to top Rugelach with nuts> Thanks
YUM! YUM! Have to try these.Can't wait for the rest to follow!
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