rugelach

The latest selection for TWD: Baking with Julia is Rugelach. Prior to this project, not only had I not baked Rugelach, before last night I had never even tasted it. But what a delight!

I always forget how much I adore dates - I rarely think to add them to dishes. I love nuts of all kinds, and try to add them to everything. And the scent of warm cinnamon wafting from the oven...it is the very essence of baking bliss.


And how I love recipes! I like reading them and comparing different versions and ultimately developing something that appeals to me. This time I consulted with Dorie (of course), Ina, Martha and Sarabeth Levine, as well as my fellow bakers who posted so many great ideas on the TWD: P&Q. This being my first time with Rugelach and all, I wanted to try a few subtle variations. So many posted about their preference for the crescent shaped cookie that I decided to try forming half the dough that way. I really liked the jelly-rolled and sliced variation a la Lauren Groveman. But, I also decided to try two crescent batches with Sarabeth's cocoa powder filling in one crescent batch. And, what's all the fuss about a yield of four dozen being too large? I'm struggling to parse out 48ish little cookies!

My fruit selection included dates, apricots and currants, which I plumped by steaming. Nuts included toasted pecans, almonds and pistachios. For the dough, I followed Lauren Groveman's directions to the letter and it came together beautifully.

I knew from the beginning that I would not go the homemade lekvar route and used organic apricot preserves instead. I'm certain the homemade lekvar is spectacular and brightly flavored and that it adds something very special to this cookie, but this is a recipe that really does not need one more step!

I might have layered the nuts and fruit a bit thick as it was a challenge to roll that 14" long strip of skinny dough. But then I recalled one step from another recipe... press the filling into the dough with wax paper. This little step made a big difference and the second strip of dough rolled up much more easily.

These babies go into the refrigerator for four hours to overnight, but I was hoping to taste a cookie a little sooner than that, so I'm certain that influenced my choice to also try crescents as they didn't require so much time resting.


I thought the crescent shaped cookies would be better somehow, but they were messier to make and I don't think the finished product looked as nice. Sarabeth's filling variation called for no fruit and were neater/easier to roll, and the presentation was bit more refined. And even though they were not much to look at, the fruit and nut filled crescents were delicious! But not pretty...

Sunday morning arrived and it was time to work with the Rugelach rolls that chilled overnight. The first roll I cut in the recommended 1 to 1.5 inch pieces. I baked them cut side down as directed, and a few burst open while baking. They also seemed just a bit too large to enjoy in a lady-like fashion, and they were not particularly lovely on a plate.

The second log I cut a bit smaller - less than one inch - and I was much happier with the presentation. I really like my baked goods to be pretty. Tasting great is a requisite, but pretty is very, very important. The two qualities truly go hand-in-hand, and one can't stand the full test without the other.

I was a little disappointed with my outcome at first - notice I didn't post (or even take) pictures of the unlovely, messy, imperfect crescent shaped cookies. But I'm glad I persevered. This recipe is delicious and while I originally thought I would never make Rugelach again, I've already softened on that position.

It's still all about the process and finding a way to make it my own. The blog is still a bit of a chore for me, but it is also a process. And one that I am working to embrace.

Happy baking!