Tuesday, December 9, 2014

The Rugelach that Won Over France

First, let me say that I think these rugelach are very tasty:  the dough is flaky and flavorful and the filling is so delicious that I was tempted to eat it by the spoonful before it even got spread onto the dough.  Having said that, I admit to having to persevere in order to get these "just right".

My only previous experience with baking rugelach is Dorie's recipe in Baking from My Home to Yours.  Those little cookies are delicious, if a bit fussy and messy.  I was eager to try this recipe and figured I'd have no trouble at all--I have, after all, baked through Dorie's Baking from my Home to Yours and learned a great deal while doing so.

I would have had no trouble at all had I read this recipe carefully!  My first unintentional "variation" was that I mixed all the filling ingredients together--even the cinnamon and sugar which are actually supposed to be sprinkled onto the dough before spreading on the filling.  Maybe that's why I liked tasting it by the spoonful ahead of time!

The dough was easy to make, easy to roll (if a little ragged on the edges) and easy to fill.


A sort of square shape.



Half the square with the filling spread on.



A fairly tidy log

The major goof was in how I cut and baked the first log.  I cut the log in slices a little bit larger than a half inch BUT I placed them flat side down on the parchment paper:  they were happy little pinwheels going into the oven but burnt-on-the-bottom pinwheels coming out of the oven.

Going into the oven
Coming out of the oven--tops look fine, but bottoms
burnt when all that chocolate melted.
My son suggested that I cut them wider and place them in the oven standing up.  Brilliant!  I reread the directions and that's exactly what Dorie intended!  The results were much better!

This is one of those recipes that requires careful reading--and a suspension of initial over-confidence in one's baking ability.  I'm glad I persevered because these ruglelach turned out to be beautiful and delicious treats.


Lovely rugelach!

Check out the other Tuesday with Dorie bakers and bloggers.  And if you want the recipe, buy Baking Chez Moi!



15 comments:

  1. I love the last photo, so inviting. We enjoyed these little cookies,
    couldn't stop eating them. I will definitely be making these again before
    Christmas.

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    1. I agree! I kept eating a bunch of the "rejects". I learned a bunch by making these and will make them again with modifications.

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  2. Your cookies certainly are beautiful and I rather like the idea of mixing the cinnamon sugar in with the rest of the ingredients!

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    1. I think mixing the cinnamon and sugar in with the filling wasn't a problem. However, next time I'm going to put all the filling in a food processor so it will be smaller and more even.

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  3. Your rugelach looks wonderful! I had a hard time with the dough. These cookies were indeed yummy, everything was gone, even the crumbs!

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    1. Thanks! I think this dough really really likes to be cold.

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  4. I too read the directions several times, hoping to catch all the information without missing any of it. Since this was my first time making rugelach I was not sure how these little cookies were supposed to turn out. But having Dorie's group blogging about them is a great resource to find out how everyone else's turned out.
    Great presentation with the tea cup and saucer, agreed it is inviting.

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    1. I love her stories and the sense that she is right in the kitchen with you. But this recipe needed even more hints! I'm glad to be baking with the TWD bakers!

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  5. I'm so relieved to read of your experience -- it was almost exactly mine too! Phew! I tried the side-ways and then the standing-up variations, but my standing-ups were more like filling-falling-outs. But your post shows it CAN be done!

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    1. I think this recipe bears repetition. I'm sure there will be fewer "rejects" (which I ate anyway) when I make this again.

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  6. After only making crescent shapes previously I was very suspicious of the seam side down pinwheels. I almost laid them flat but glad didn't try it now. Your end product looks great.

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    1. One thing I learned is that you really have to be sure the seam is well sealed. I also like the crescent shape, but mine usually turn out a bit messy with filling bits on the dough. It's a recipe, I think, that will improve with experience!

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  7. I mixed all the filling including sugar and cinnamon too. oops! Well, we both survived! Nice job.

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    1. Actually, I think mixing in the sugar and cinnamon wasn't a problem. I had some left over which I stirred into hot oatmeal the next day and it was delicious!

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  8. I baked 'pinwheels' too... accidentally! Mine were sliced too thinly and they toppled down.

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