As I traveled the country this fall on my book tour, people shared family recipes with me, as they often do. This time I noticed a theme: rugelach and schnecken, rolled and filled pastries. Rugelach and schnecken are the subject of much confusion in the world of Jewish baking. They are both treats made from the combination of cookie or yeast dough and are filled with different ingredients, like ground nuts, raisins, and jam. But their rich histories are quite different.
My Mom’s Yeast Rugelach
June 22, 2021
Ingredients
- 1package active dry yeast
- 1teaspoon plus 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3cups all purpose flour
- 8ounces butter or pareve margarine, melted
- 2large eggs, well beaten
Yield: About 50 rugelach
Preparation
Adapted from Linda Solomon
- Step 1
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup warm water. Add 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir well and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Step 2
Sift the flour and remaining sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the cooled butter or margarine. Add the eggs and yeast mixture. Mix together all ingredients thoroughly and form into a ball. Cover and put in the refrigerator overnight.
- Step 3
The next morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator and uncover for about 1 hour.
- Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 cookie sheets.
- Step 5
Divide the dough into 5 equal parts and mix the cinnamon and sugar. Cover a hard surface with the cinnamon and sugar. Flour the rolling pin and roll out each piece of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread with some of the apricot preserves and sprinkle with the raisins. Cut into 10 wedges and roll each wedge from the wide end to the point. Curve to make a crescent, making sure the points are on the bottom.
- Step 6
Put the crescents on the cookie sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet immediately or they will stick. Rugelach freeze very well.
Fillings
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup sugar
1 cup apricot preserves
¼ cup golden raisins (optional)