Rugelach – A Traditional Hanukah Pastry
Rugelach is a traditional pastry for Hanukah, the Jewish Festival of
Lights. This year Hanukkah starts on the 24th of December 2016 and lasts
for 8 days. This rugelach recipe I’ve made a bit more Irish by soaking the
dried fruit in whiskey or sherry. It really does add a bit of bite and
surprise to the pastry. Not necessary of course.
Hanukkah is an an 8 day Jewish festival to celebrate the miracle of the oil
that burned in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem for not just the one night the
small amount left should have but for eight days and nights.This happened
during the Maccabee uprising in the 2nd century B.C. Hanukkah takes place
according to the Jewish calendar which means it can fall anywhere from the
end of November to the end of December. It is a time for families to get
together and and is celebrated using a nine branch candelbra called a
Menorah. For each night of the festival a candle is lit from the single
central candle. Special foods and gifts are exchanged and it is a time for
families to come together.
Dough for Rugelach
2 cups plain flour (250g)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (250 grams)
8 ounces (125 grams) cream cheese
1/3 cup (75 grams) creme fraiche (or sour cream)
1/3 cup (75 grams) or to taste of white sugar
1/3 cup (75 grams) ground almonds
Filling
250 -300 grams of mixed dried fruits
50 grams prunes, chopped
150 g walnuts, lightly roasted and crushed
Soak the dried fruit in whiskey or sherry or a mixture of the two for at
least 2 to 3 days. I have used fruit I’ve soaked in alcohol from the last
Christmas (kept in an airtight jar).
Lightly roast the walnuts by placing on tray in oven for a few minutes or
in dry pan on stove until lightly coloured. Use the rolling pin to roughly
crush the nuts.
To Make:
Cut cold butter and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour,
salt, butter, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly. Or with no food
processor, use your finger tips to combine flour salt, butter, cream
cheese, sour cream. The end result should look a bit like lumpy porridge.
The least working of mixture at this stage leads to a nicer crust. Shape
crumbly mixture into ball. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2
days.
Cut pastry ball in half. Liberally flour a service to roll out the dough.
At this point you have a choice. Traditional rugulach are crescent shaped
pastries. They are made by halving the dough again and rolling out in
circular format. You will need to keep dusting the pastry with flour and
turning it over as it is a very sticky dough. Ideally make it as thin as
possible to still hold together. Cut triangles out of the circle,
approximately 8 – 12 sections (depending on size of circle). Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon powder
over dough. In slightly from the wide end place the fruit and nut filling
and rollup. Curve ends into each other and place on well greased baking
tray.
I’ve found that fiddly and tend to make one long roll, similar to a
strudel. I roll that up with the filling (glaze before cutting) and then
cut 90% through the dough to give individual portions.
Finally at the end I glaze the pastry with egg and sprinkle almond slivers
on top. Bake in a preheated oven 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4 for between 20-30
minutes depending on size.
