Rugelach has become as ubiquitous as bagels in America and it seems that they are sold everywhere in different shapes and flavors. While developing new hamantaschen recipes for The Holiday Kosher Baker, I discovered that, sometimes, trying new fillings for an old dough just isn’t interesting enough; it is time to play around with the dough itself. In pastry school we baked éclairs and napoleons with chocolate dough, so why not a Chocolate Pistachio Rugelach? The French love the combination of pistachio and chocolate flavors.
Chocolate Pistachio Rugelach
Servings
36 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4-1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 sticks 1/2 cup margarine
- 8 oz. soy cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup shelled pistachios chopped
Instructions
- Dough:
- To make the dough, place the flour, cocoa and confectioner’s sugar into a mixing bowl and mix to combine.
- Add the margarine and cream cheese and use an electric mixer or wooden spoon to mix just until the dough comes together.
- Divide the dough into three pieces and shape each into a circle and wrap each piece in plastic wrap and flatten.
- Chill in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to roll, let thaw until you can press it in a little; it rolls best when it is cold. Place back in the freezer for a few minutes if the dough gets too soft while rolling.
- Prepare filling by combining the cocoa and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place a 10×15″ sheet of parchment paper on the counter. Sprinkle very generously with flour and place one dough piece on the parchment, sprinkle with more flour and then top with a second sheet of parchment. Use the rolling pin on top of the parchment to roll out the dough until it is a 12-inch circle. Every few rolls peel back the top parchment and sprinkle some more flour on the dough. As you roll, the dough should not get stuck on the bottom parchment. If it does, with the parchment on top, place your hand under the bottom parchment and flip the dough over. Peel back the parchment now on top, sprinkle dough with more flour and then turn the whole package over again and roll until desired size is reached. Do not worry about the amount of flour you are sprinkling; it gets absorbed.
- Sprinkle one third of the cocoa and sugar mixture (about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons) over the dough. Re-cover with the parchment and roll a few times to press the cocoa and sugar into the dough. Sprinkle one third of the chips and one third of the pistachio nuts and press into the dough.
- Use a flat-blade, non-serrated knife to cut the circle in half the long way and then across to create four parts. Slicing from the center, slice each part into three triangles.
- Lift each triangle and roll up from the longer side to the point as tightly as you can. Place on a lined cookie sheet and bend the points towards each other to shape into a crescent.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cookies are browned on the bottom.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. May be made three days in advance or frozen.
- Recipe originally published in Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine Fall 2014 Subscribe Now
i really wish i could get a recipe for rugelach that did not include cream cheese, sour cream, etc ( or the soy equivalent) in the dough. we can get pareve luscious, soft, chewy, rugelach from a kosher bakery so why can’t i make it at home? the recipes i have are either produce something close to a crunchy cookie…. any ideas?