Cindy "TheSweetNerd" Rodriguez Have you ever seen a volcano spewing blueberries? This is what comes to mind as I remember the first times I made this delightful blueberry and rhubarb rugelach. I just couldn’t get enough of the blueberry rhubarb jam, and so I doused the pastry thinking more was better. Well, they ended up looking like Mount Vesuvius overflowing with blue lava as they busted open in the oven. (Don’t worry, I still ate them!)
Being the Sweet Nerd that I am, I tested them again. This time I learned from my mistake and cut back on the jam. However, in my typical “I-have-10-things-going-on-in-my-kitchen-all-at-once” style, I might have managed to let them sit slightly too long in the oven. They were fatefully superglued to the parchment paper. Ugh, well, third times a charm!
Learn from my mistakes…
- Go easy on the jam! Pick your favorite and if you really get the urge to partake in some jam deliciousness, make some separate toast to enjoy on your own. That will ease your temptation of pouring on too much jam. Be wise, my friends.
- After baking, pull them off the parchment immediately. Yes, immediately! I know, I know. It’s hot but look, it beats making another batch and having to start over from scratch. Besides, we’re moms, right? We can take the heat.
So, what is a Rugelach?
It is a jewish pastry that is super popular in Israeli bakeries and cafes. And it gives us another good reason to wanderlust about traveling to Israel, right? This particular recipe was inspired by Mindy Segal. Poor woman probably thinks I’m stalking her, as I love her cookies and always tag her on social. Her Cookie Love book pushes the envelope on the classics, and yet retains just enough of that nostalgia to give you that rush of childhood yummy-for-your-tummy feeling.
This dough is made from cream cheese and butter and literally melts in your mouth. I used SqirlLa jam, which is from a local bakery, and well you know the rest of the story….ummm, when I OD’ed on the blueberry rhubarb jam. That aside, this recipe is super versatile. You can plug in any of your favorite jams or other types of sweet mixtures such as maple, bacon, pecan, or nutella. If you wanted to go a bit more savory, try adding in some Korean kimchi or latin chorizo and cheese. DELICIOSO! I wouldn’t mind a little lava made out of cheese and jalapeno.
Recipe Credits: Mindy Segal, Cookie Love
Photos by: Maria Hedrick Photography
October 6, 2016 Mindy Segal, Cookie Love Cream Cheese Dough 1Bowl: Combine dries of flour and salts. Set aside. 2Mixer: Cream butter, then add cream cheese until aerated. Add sugar and continue to aerate for a few minutes. Scrape down. Add vanilla. Then add dries to mixer all at once just until dough comes together (30 seconds or so). Do not overmix. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Roll Dough 1Place dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin and a pastry roller, roll the half of the dough into a rectangle, leaving the 1" border from the edge of the parchment paper. The dough should be just shy of 1/4" thick. If the edges become uneven, push a bench scraper against the sides to straighten them out. To keep the dough from sticking to the parchment paper, periodically dust the top lightly with flour, cover with another piece of parchment paper, and sandwiching the dough between both sheets of parchment paper, flip the dough and paper over. Peel off the top layer of parchment paper and continue to roll. 2Repeat with the second half of the dough. Stack both sheets of dough on top of each other and refrigerate until chilled, approximately 30 minutes. 3Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 4Line a few half sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Assembly 1Invert the sheets of dough onto the work surface and peel off the top sheet of parchment paper. For each sheet of dough, spread 3/4 cup of jam in a thin, even layer across the surface. Trim the edges. Using a dough cutter, divide the sheet in half lengthwise into two long strips. Working with one strip at a time and moving crosswise, cut out triangles with flat tips, with each base approximately 1 1/2 inches wide and each tip approximately 1/4 inch wide. Shoot for 10-12 triangles per strip. 2Using an offset spatula, start separating the triangles away from the rest of the dough. Starting from the base, roll the dough like a crescent roll. Place tip-side down on the prepared sheet pan and repeat with the remaining triangles, spacing them on the pan 1" apart. Brush the tops with egg white. 3Bake one pan at a time for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Remove the rugelaches quickly when you pull from the oven. Using an offset spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. 4Repeat with remaining dough.
Blueberry and Rhubarb Rugelach
Directions
LET’S BAKE TOGETHER!
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I really love that stop motion! It makes it look so appealing and delicious!