Bubbie’s Kitchen Adventures: Rugelach

Welcome back to Bubbie’s Kitchen Adventures, your personal look behind the scenes at the small kitchen at Temple B’nai Israel. In the beginning there were hot dogs and a rummage sale. Today, nearly 25 years later, Temple B’nai Israel has a new, virtual ordering system and an expanded menu available by visiting tbinh.org until June 27. 

Bubbie’s rugelach is not a Jewish baked good — it’s a baked great!

This is the last week to order! Did you forget anything? Don’t wait to read about my rugelach. Go now and place your order, I’ll wait!

The Yiddish word for today is rugelach, translated literally it means “little twists.” Do you remember that popular song about twisting? There was even a dance we used to do at all the weddings and bar mitzvahs. Oy, I would end up like a twisted rugelach on the floor. HA! So, I’m not a maven (expert) on the dance floor, but I am a maven when it comes to how to make my favorite pastry, rugelach.

Making rugelach is a two-day project. On the first day I make the dough by combining flour, butter, and cream cheese. I schlep the sack of flour from the pantry and take the butter out of the icebox and leave it to soften overnight. The cream cheese might spoil if I leave it out overnight, so I use that microwave contraption my son-in-law got for me. Don’t tell him I said this, but it’s a mechayeh, such a pleasure. Once the butter and cream cheese mixture is light and fluffy, I add in the flour and just a little bit of salt. Now it’s time to take a rest and watch my favorite show.

On the second day, I prepare the cinnamon, sugar, pecan and currants for the filling. I take the dough ball out of the icebox so it will soften and be easier to roll out. I have a wooden rolling pin and board that my Bubbie and Zayde brought with them when they came from the old country. Without these, I don’t think my rugelach would taste as good as they do. They have been well seasoned from their many years of baking. I roll out the dough and sprinkle the filling on top. Then I cut it into 8 triangles and roll each section into a crescent shape. I carefully lay each little gem on my baking sheet and brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. In no time, they are baked and cooling on the racks, waiting for hungry mouths to gobble them up.

That wraps up my kitchen adventures for this year’s Jewish Food Festival. Now it’s time to go to the website, tbinh.org, and place an order. Don’t forget to tell your friends and family to order, too. A copy of the Temple B’nai Israel cookbook comes with all orders of $65 or more.

Until next year, Zei Gazunt, be well.