The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Rugelach for New Year’s

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Rugelach for New Year’s

Lucy told me that, in the old days, Jewish bakers in Poland and around Vienna started baking these cookies shaped like a horn or twist several hundred years ago.  The root Yiddish word for Rugelach means little twists or horn and are made from triangles of dough rolled up with a filling inside.

The originals were either ale yeast or sourdough.  Later they were made with yeast and had either sour cream or cream cheese in the dough.  These are not, old school yeast ruglelach.  They have no SD or yeast in them even though Lucy considered it.  These are puff paste rugelach that has both sour cream and cream cheese in the dough to make them seem old school …yet modern, much lighter and airy.

Jewish bakers in Vienna later took out the filling and the cream cheese or sour cream left in the sourdough or yeast and made the first croissants around the mid 1800’s of so, that the French added a French name to later.  These Jewish bakers also made the first Kaiser Rolls but they were originally named Franz Joseph rolls, after the Arch Duke of Austria.  The Germans changed the name later to Kaiser Rolls but that is totally different Lucy tale.

How did that smoked pork butt of Christmas get in there?

I made the dough exactly like this https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-puff-pastry-222312 but only made half a batch and added 2 T each of SC and CC cutting the requited ice water as a result to make 24 rugelach.  If you have never made puff paste, I suggest you do and use this easy method that works great every time.  I used half LaFama AP and half WINCO high gluten flour.

We made a nice Holiday Celebration 3 apple, pear, ginger, snockered cranberry and bourbon galette that we have been eating all week. - Delicious!

Half of them had a chocolate chip and pecan filling; 3 oz of chips and 1 oz of pecans, with a bit of cinnamon, sugar and 1 T of softened butter.  The other 12 were; hazelnut, chocolate chip, same ratio as above, 2 T of peanut butter with 1 T of sugar and 1 T of butter.   We think both will be tasty if Lucy doesn’t eat them all!  She looks very hungry!

After the roll up for the non horn variety

Monster Denver Omelette for 3 on Christmas  Day!

Happy New Year to all Fresh Lofians!  And a NY sunset from Arizona

Comments

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Never heard of rugelach without sourdough or yeast. What did you make it with? Baking soda or are they totally unleavened? How did you get them nice and light? Unless I've missed something. 

Looks wonderful all the same and I love the juxtaposition with the pork ;) Couldn't have chosen a better partnership. Ha! 

As per usual it all looks amazing Dabrownman. Happy New Year from the UK. 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Old school versions, like the one trailrunner posted a few years ago,had yeast or.  But modern rugelach doesn't have either or baking powder or soda for that matter.  I find them kind of heavy with no leavening of any kind though.  These are made with puff pastry, and as far as I know Lucy is the only one doing that.  It makes for the lightest rugelach ever. I posted the link on how I make puff pastry but with 2 T each of cream cheese and sour cream and a bit less water for rugelach only.

You would love these Abe!

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

I think it's amazing that we made baked goods with similar origins for new year's. For me, I have never heard of yeasted rugelach; I have always thought they are a pretty modern treat that's why they always call for cold fats such as butter or cream cheese and/or chemical leavening. And rugelachs are the origin of the croissant that the French reinvented with a technique they learnt from the Viennese? (Books say that French viennoiserie originated form Vienna) I learnt something in the first day of 2018. :)

These puff paste rugelachs looks divine. Be careful with your sugar intake. Everything looks topnotch, you are really talented. 2017 has been great for you and your daughter, I wish you more success and happiness this year. 

Happy baking and happy new year uncle! :)

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

many temptations during he Holidays .....2017 was a great year by gaining a new son in law!  Watching the two of them makes me wish I was young again!  Well, I do that every day but you know what I mean:-)  Enjoy it while you got it is Lucy's motto!

Your New Year's bagels were super for not even having an oven!

Best to you and yours in 2018 Job!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

everything looks great and must taste amazing.  Wish I could taste it all.

Give Lucy a nice belly rub from her East Coast buddies. 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Lucy sends her best tot the LI Pack and we wish you and yours the best in 2018!

Skibum's picture
Skibum

Nice to see you back baking and posting again. Happy New Year! Ski

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

It looks awful cold in Canada right now and for the near future.  Still waiting on the smoked moose rib post from you - maybe in 2018 :-)  

Best to you and yours in 2018 Ski