Most rogelach are made with flaky pastry dough or shortcrust pastry (which is made from cream, flour and margarine) and filled with dates and nuts, or chocolate or jelly and nuts.
By PASCALE PEREZ-RUBINRozalach(photo credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
A glass cookie jar sits on the countertop in my kitchen, and I try to keep it filled with a variety of homemade cookies which change according to the season and my family’s requests. I love preparing lots of different kinds, but there are a few cookie recipes I always go back to, time after time. Some of my all-time favorites are rogelach.Most rogelach are made with flaky pastry dough or shortcrust pastry (which is made from cream, flour and margarine) and filled with dates and nuts, or chocolate or jelly and nuts. Sometimes they are sprinkled with powdered sugar.One day, my younger son, Shai, came out of his bedroom, grabbed a cookie and began munching on it hungrily.Then he looked up at me and said, “You know what, Mom? This tastes a lot like rozalach. The catering agency I work for serves them all the time. They’re soft, warm and full of chocolate! Maybe you could try making them some time?” I couldn’t believe that all the cookies I made for my family – and I made a lot! – were not enough. And then my other son entered the kitchen and heartily agreed with his brother. And so I began investigating: What do these cookies look like? What kind of consistency do they have? What should they be filled with? After a few trials, I finally succeeded in making a batch that I felt was good enough for the family cookie jar.And so when the boys came home for the holidays – one from his army base and the other from his year of community service – I woke up early on Friday morning and rolled out the dough, spread a layer of Nutella, rolled it up and cut it into slices, which I placed on a tray on the bottom rack of my stone oven, which I usually use to bake pizza.As soon as the smell started wafting through the house, both boys ventured forth out of their bedrooms. When I took out the tray and transferred the rozalach to a platter, I barely had a chance to sprinkle powdered sugar on the cookies and warn the boys that the rozalach were still piping hot before they each took a big bite. Then they each started taking pictures which they uploaded to Instagram. Soon a bunch of their friends appeared, and all the rozalach vanished in no time at all.Below you’ll find my recipe for rozalach, as well as two more rogelach recipes.RozalachMakes 35-40 pieces (depending on thickness)■ 5½ to 6 cups flour, sifted■ 2 cups water, room temperature■ 1 tsp. dry yeast■ 2 Tbsp. olive oil■ 1 tsp. vinegar■ ½ tsp. saltFor work surface:■ ½ to 1 cup flour, siftedFor filling:■ 1 container of spread: chocolate (any kind), halva, lotus or chocolate and peanut butterPlace flour in the bowl of a mixer and use the dough hook attachment. While mixing, add water, yeast, oil and vinegar. Knead for five minutes and then add the salt. Knead for another three minutes until dough is rubbery. Cover and let rise until dough doubles in size.Split the dough into 4 to 6 sections. On a floured surface, roll out each section until thin. Spread with chocolate, roll up and then cut into pieces, whatever thickness you desire (I recommend 3 cm.). Do the same for the rest of the dough.Heat the oven (with firebrick inside) to 225- 250°C. Place the rozalach on the brick and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until golden. Remove, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve while still warm.Date and nut rogelachMakes 35-40 cookies■ 3 cups flour, sifted■ 1 container sour cream/Eshel/yogurt■ 1 egg (can use yolk only)■ ½ cup sugar■ 200 gr. butter■ 1 tsp. rum extract■ 1 package vanilla sugar■ 1 package baking powderFor filling:■ 1 container date filling■ 1 cup jelly, any flavor■ 1 cup walnuts or pecans, ground (can use sugared pecans)■ ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)■ 2 tsp. ground cinnamon■ ¼ tsp. clovesFor sprinkling on top:■ Powdered sugarAdd flour to mixing bowl, form a well in the center and pour the sour cream in the center. Add the egg, sugar, butter, rum, vanilla sugar and baking powder and mix on medium speed until dough detaches from side of bowl. If mixture is too sticky, add a little more flour. If you prefer, you can also knead by hand.Cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge for one hour.Separate dough into three equal sections. On a floured work surface, roll out each piece into a rectangle with a thickness of ½ cm. Spread one-third of the filling, jelly, chocolate chips and nuts on each section. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and then roll up starting with the side closest to you. Press ends together well. Make other two rolls in same fashion.Place rolls on a greased pan and bake at 180° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes and sprinkle with powdered sugar.Slice and serve. Keep extra pieces in an airtight container.Whole-wheat rogelachMakes 35-40 cookies■ 3 cups whole-wheat flour, sifted■ 2 eggs■ 200 gr. butter■ 1 Tbsp. vinegar■ 2 Tbsp. water or juice■ 1 tsp. rum extract■ 1 package vanilla sugar■ 1 package baking powderFor filling:■ 1 container date filling■ Grated peel and juice from one orange■ ¾ cup chocolate chips■ 1 cup roasted peanuts or hazelnuts, ground■ 2 tsp. ground cinnamon■ 5 Tbsp. sugarFor sprinkling on top:■ Powdered sugarPlace flour in a mixing bowl. Form a well in center. Add eggs, butter, vinegar, water, rum, vanilla sugar and baking powder. Mix on medium speed until dough falls away from side, or alternatively mix by hand.Separate dough into three sections. Flour the work surface and roll out each section until it is ½ cm. thick.Add date spread to a small pot. Add the orange peel and juice and cook over low flame while stirring until smooth.Add chocolate chips. If mixture is too thick, add a little orange juice or water.Spread mixture on each piece of dough and then sprinkle with nuts, cinnamon and sugar. Roll up from the side closest to you and secure ends. Prepare other rolls in same fashion.Place on greased tray and bake at 180° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice and serve. Keep reserves in airtight container.Translated by Hannah Hochner
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