Rugelach Question

[Mezzaluna]

I'm honored to be confused with anyone named Michelle- or Michele (Brown). That's pretty heady company.

[momoreg]

Thumbs up on the schmear; just go easy on the jam.

[Zukerig]

These Polish) cookies known as rugelach are succintly described by Carole Bloom as being "made with a rich cream cheese dough that is cut into triangles and rolled up around a filling to form crescent shapes. The filling can be jam, poppy seed, raisins and nuts, chocolate, nuts and cinnamon, or fruit." (The International Dictionary of Desserts, Pastries, and Confections, p. 265). Maida Heatter has declared that her Rugelach Walnut Horns "have been one of the most popular recipes I ever wrote." (Maida Heatter's Cookies, p. 188)

I have most commonly made rugelach filled with either imported apricot preserves or a seedless raspberry jam. On singular occasions, I have substituted the jam fillings by brushing the rolled out dough w/ melted clarified butter, then sprinkling over chopped, toasted hazelnuts; or a few dried currants. One could also use minced dried apricots or cranberries after brushing the rugelach w/ melted red-currant jelly.

[KyleW]

Those sound pretty much like mine, in theory anyway My dough is:

Flour = 100%
Butter = 89%
Cream Cheese = 178%

I'm learning that you can play with the fillings. I like the sound of your filling ideas!

PS I think the raspberry thing worked out well. I used Polaner All Fruit, a little sugar and some walnuts. I processed it into a near smooth paste, leaving some walnut pieces foe texture. Mezz will be able to file a full report soon.

[Zukerig]

Kyle, et. al., may be interested in a wholemeal version of the dough:

½ lb. cream cheese, softened
1 lb. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
zest of large lemon (or ½ tsp lemon oil)
4 cups (fluff-scoop-level method) whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt

The preserves I prefer to use in rugelach: seedless raspberry, French apricot, and English ginger marmalade. (Peach would be very appropriate, too.) A suitable glaze for these “cookies” follows:

4 Tbsp granulated sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon; 2 fl. oz. milk. Just before baking, brush the rugelach w/ milk, sprinkle w/ cinnamon-sugar mixture.