SUNDAY DESSERT #47: Rugelach
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Poland đ”đ±
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Easy-Intermediate
INSPIRATION: I've heard of these cookies before, but have never actually had one. They are a popular Hannukah treat! đ„đ
RECEPTION/COMMENTARY: Rugelach (pronounced 'roog-ah-lah' with the -ch at the end making a slight guttural sound) was invented in the Jewish communities of Poland but has become a staple food in Israel. There are two varieties; one made with a yeast dough and the other made with a cream cheese dough. I decided to make the cream cheese version because it requires a little less work and is, apparently, just as delicious. Traditionally, these cookies are made with walnuts, cinnamon, raisins, and brown sugar pulsed together into a crumb-like filling. This is then spread over an apricot jam before being sliced and rolled up into a crescent shape. This is probably why the name literally means "royal twist" in Yiddish. Anyway, rugelach is awesome because you can mix-and-match it up with any jam or filling combination you desire! Chocolate, for example, is another popular filling.
These mini, croissant-like treats taste like a cross between a pie and a cookie. I told myself that I was only going to have one for taste-testing purposes and then save the rest for later. But then one became two. Then two became six. Guys, I have a problem! These flaky, cinnamon-y, chewy, crispy, sweet bites were just too much for me to have any sort of self-control. Ahhhhhh....SO GOOD!!!! 10+ for sure!
WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? Yes! Let's celebrate Christmas AND Hannukah so that we can have the benefits of all the goodies! Kwanzaa, where you at? What treats have you got going on over there?
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