Chocolate Rugelach

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Hello Daring Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My wealthy Chocolate Rugelach is your scrumptious go-to for Hanukkah, the vacation season typically, or anytime you’re craving a mouthwateringly tender chocolate-filled pastry! My Chocolate Rugelach recipe is a tasty deal with, whether or not you grew up with it otherwise you’ve by no means tasted it earlier than! After I was first launched to Traditional Rugelach years in the past, I fell in love with the dough–so crisp on the surface and buttery and smooth inside, brimming with flavorful filling. When testing this recipe, I rapidly discovered how a lot simpler it’s to work with chilly dough. You need to chill it for at the very least one hour, however in a single day is finest. The longer chill time ensures that the butter and cream cheese are stable, in order that they’ll soften slowly when baking and make the pastry additional tender. Chilly dough can also be a lot less complicated to chop and roll.

• My recipe makes it straightforward: You’ll be thrilled at how easy it’s to end up these bakery-style treats.
• Flaky pastry: Cream cheese and butter pair as much as create essentially the most delectable flaky pastry.
• Unbeatable filling: Spiced bittersweet chocolate for the win.
• Conventional goodness: I like baking a recipe folks have been having fun with for generations. For extra time-tested treats, take a look at my Dutch Banketstaaf and Italian Panettone.
• Satisfying! These pleasant twists provide you with layer upon layer of wealthy taste and texture. So satisfying to make, and to eat!

Desk of Contents

What are Chocolate Rugelach?

Chocolate Rugelach is a variation of the conventional Jewish pastry sometimes crammed with raspberry or apricot jam and a nut or poppy seed filling. Chocolate Rugelach are small, tender and flaky rolled twists made with buttery, tangy, cream cheese-based dough, wealthy bittersweet chocolate, and cinnamon filling blended with nuts, and completed with a crunchy sugar topping. Chocolate Rugelach is a contemporary instance of a conventional recipe that originated in Jap European Jewish communities. The title comes from the Yiddish phrase for “twist.” Rugelach is commonly served at many holidays and occasions, significantly throughout Jewish holidays like Hanukkah. You’ll love them to present as presents, and at Hanukkah or any vacation celebration.

Key Components and Substitutes

For the Rugelach Dough

All-purpose flour

• All-purpose flour has a protein content material of 8-11% which supplies it the correct amount of gluten growth to create a good construction however a young texture.
• Substitute: You should use the identical quantity of pastry flour for those who desire.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar sweetens the dough. Because the filling is good and there’s a sugar topping, the quantity of sugar used within the dough itself is minimal.
• Moreover, granulated sugar helps with the browning.
• Substitute: Use an equal quantity of coconut sugar for those who desire.

Salt

• Salt enhances the flavour and balances the sweetness of the cookie.

Brick-style cream cheese

• Brick-style cream cheese provides rugelach its iconic tang.
• Importantly, cream cheese creates a wealthy, supple dough that yields smooth rugelach.
• Use chilly, full-fat cream cheese for the very best outcomes.
• Substitute: You should use an equal quantity of Neufchatel cheese. It would yield a dough that’s lighter than dough made with cream cheese.

Butter

• Butterfat provides the pastry flakiness. Whereas baking, the items of chilly butter launch steam, which pushes aside the dough into layers.
• The butter coats the flour, inhibiting gluten growth and making it extra tender.
• Moreover, butter provides the dough a wealthy taste.
• Substitute: You should use the identical quantity of stable coconut oil, however observe that this can give your pastry a refined coconut style.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla acts as a seasoning, accenting the butter, cream cheese, and chocolate flavors.
• Substitute: You should use the identical quantity of Vanilla Bean Paste.

For the Chocolate Filling

Bittersweet chocolate

• Bittersweet chocolate provides deep, wealthy chocolate taste with out cloying sweetness.
• When the bottom bittersweet chocolate melts, it kinds delightfully skinny layers.
• Substitute: For a sweeter, milder taste, use the identical quantity of chopped semisweet chocolate or semi-sweet chips (observe that chips gained’t soften as easily as chopped chocolate).

Darkish brown sugar

• Darkish brown sugar brings a heat, molasses sweetness to the filling.
• Importantly, the darkish brown sugar additionally makes the filling moist.
• Substitute: You should use an equal quantity of sunshine brown sugar for those who’d like.

Cinnamon

• Cinnamon provides heat, intriguing spice to the filling.
• Moreover, cinnamon is a conventional rugelach ingredient, and offers this pastry its traditional taste.
• Substitute: For a citrus style, use 1/8 teaspoon of cardamom as a substitute.

Butter

• Melted butter creates a moisture barrier and permits the filling to stay to the dough with out soaking by way of.
• Moreover, butter helps create rugelach that’s crispy, not soggy.
• Substitute: You should use the identical quantity of coconut oil, however it should change the flavour.

For the Rugelach Topping

Egg wash

• Brushing egg wash (one egg overwhelmed with 1 tablespoon of milk) provides the rugelach a golden-brown shade and a gorgeous, shiny crust.
• Moreover, the egg wash helps the sugar adhere to the rugalach.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar provides a contact of additional sweetness.
• Importantly, the sugar with the egg wash creates a golden, crunchy coating.
• Substitutes: Use an equal quantity of coarse (sanding) sugar for a good sparklier, extra crunchy coating.
  • You can even use an equal quantity of cinnamon sugar for one more layer of taste.

The way to Make Chocolate Rugelach

To Make the Rugelach Dough

1. Begin the dough: Place the flour, sugar, and salt within the meals processor and pulse for about 10 seconds to mix.
2. Combine in remaining components: Add within the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract and pulse till the combination resembles coarse, damp crumbs.

3. Knead: Switch to a piece floor and really briefly knead the dough till it simply comes collectively and is now not crumbly.
4. Divide and chill dough: Divide the dough into two equal items, form every bit right into a flattened disc, wrap properly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at the very least one hour and as much as in a single day.

To Make the Chocolate Filling

5. Make filling: Add the chopped chocolate, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the meals processor and pulse till the chocolate is floor. Divide into two equal parts and put aside.

6. Prep melted butter: Set the melted butter apart in a separate bowl.

To Assemble the Rugelach Cookies

7. Put together pan: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Roll out the dough: Working with one portion of dough at a time, on a floured floor, roll the dough right into a 14-inch (35 ½ cm) circle, then trim away any tough edges.
9. Brush with butter and unfold on filling: Brush the rugelach dough with half of the melted butter, then sprinkle with one of many parts of the chocolate combination, urgent this into the dough a bit to assist it stick.

10. Minimize into wedges: Utilizing a pizza cutter, minimize the circle into 16 wedges.

11. Roll and place on sheet: Roll up every wedge beginning with the big finish and switch to the ready baking sheet, pointed finish down.

12. Assemble remaining rugelach: Refrigerate the rugelach when you assemble the remaining cookies.
13. Chill rugelach: As soon as rolled, cowl the rugelach and chill for at the very least one hour (and as much as two days) earlier than baking.

To Bake the Rugelach

14. Put together to bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
15. Add egg wash and sugar: Organize 16 rugelach 1-inch (3 cm) aside on the sheet and brush with the egg wash, adopted by a sprinkle of sugar.

16. Bake: Bake for 16-18 minutes, till golden brown, then let cool for five minutes on the pan earlier than transferring to a wire rack to chill fully when you bake off the remaining dough.

17. Serve and revel in: Get pleasure from with a cup of espresso or tea!

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Gemma’s Professional Chef Ideas

• Put your dough within the fridge for 20 minutes earlier than rolling it out if it’s sticky and tough to work with.
• Gently pulse the chocolate, or it might warmth up and soften within the meals processor. You need the chocolate to stay finely floor, however crumbly, or will probably be too tough to unfold into a skinny, even layer.
• Fast chill: In case your chocolate does begin to soften and clump, refrigerate it for 20 minutes, after which briefly pulse once more.
• Brush the melted butter to the sides of the dough, as it should create a barrier to maintain the filling from soaking by way of. Additionally, unfold your filling evenly, taking care to not make it too thick on the edges.
•  Make extra: For those who like this recipe, remember to take a look at our recipe for Traditional Rugelach!

Make-Forward and Storage Directions

Make-ahead ideas

• The dough discs will be made and frozen for two months. Defrost them within the fridge in a single day earlier than utilizing.
• The assembled, unbaked crescents will be frozen on a parchment-lined baking sheet after which transferred to an hermetic container.
  • Defrost within the fridge in a single day earlier than baking.

The way to retailer leftovers

• Retailer these cookies in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 2 days.
• For extra prolonged storage, the baked rugelach will be frozen in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transferred to an hermetic container for as much as two months.
  • Defrost at room temperature for about one hour.

FAQs

Can I make this rugelach gluten-free?

How do I be sure my rugelach retains its form?

• Rugelach can lose their form whereas baking if the dough is just too heat. Chill the rolled rugelach for at the very least one hour earlier than baking.
• Take care to not roll your dough too skinny. Roll out the dough to a 14-inch (35 1/2 cm) circle.

What are some mix-ins and variations I can strive with this recipe?

• Combine 1/2 cup (2.5 oz/70 g) of dried cranberries or cherries (chop if massive) into the rugelach chocolate filling combination.
• As a substitute of the chocolate-cinnamon filling, you’ll be able to unfold a skinny layer of Nutella chocolate hazelnut unfold over the buttered dough.
• Unfold peanut butter or almond butter over the buttered dough, and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips or cocoa powder.
• Rather than cinnamon, use an equal quantity of Pumpkin Pie Spice.

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