These Israeli Chocolate Rugelach made with Yeast are the most delicious and decadent treats to enjoy for breakfast, afternoon tea or as a sweet snack. The traditional Jewish Yeasted Chocolate Pastries are both fluffy and flakey: simply irresistible!
50gr (2 1/2 tablesp.)Caster Sugaror Fine White Granulated Sugar
50ml (3 tablesp. + 1/3 teasp.)Water
Instructions
Dough
Heat up the water to be lukewarm (about 38'C/100'F), then mix in the Yeast and one tablespoon of Sugar. Stir and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the you see small bubbles or froth on the surface (see note 1). Whisk in the Oil and Eggs.
In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if making my hands), mix together the Flour, rest of the Sugar and Cinnamon. Make a well at the centre of the bowl and pour in the Liquids.
Knead with the hook attachment for about 8 to 10 minutes on medium high speed. After a couple of minutes of kneading, add the Salt. The dough should be soft, smooth and stretchy (see note 2).
Place the dough in a large, slightly greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to proof if a warm place for 1 to 1,5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Chocolate Filling
Mix together the Cacao, Sugar, Cinnamon and Oil to get a thick paste (see note 3).
Assembling the Rugelach
Punch the air out of the proofed dough and cut it in half. Set one half aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll the second half of dough into a large rectangle about 30x50 cm / 12x20 inch.
Spread half of the Chocolate Filling over the rolled dough, then fold it in half on its longest side. Roll again with a rolling pin, trying to get the dough as thin as possible without ripping. You should get a very large and thin rectangle and be able to see the filling through the dough.
Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter/wheel to cut the dough into triangles (see note 4). Roll each triangle into a crescent, starting from the largest side and rolling towards the pointy end (see note 5).
Place on a large baking tray lined with baking paper or a baking mat, leaving space between each rugelach as they will expand and rise.
Repeat the process with the second half of the dough, then set aside to proof for 20 to 30 minutes.
Optional: whisk an Egg Yolk and Water to make the Egg Wash, and gently brush it over each Rugelach.
Preheat your oven on 180'C/350'F, then bake for about 20 minutes or until each pastries has risen and looks golden.
Sugar Syrup Glaze
While the rugelach are baking, prepare the glaze. Mix the Water and Sugar in a small saucepan and turn on medium low heat. Leave to simmer for a few minutes, until you get a thicker syrup consistancy (see note 6). Keep warm until ready to brush.
Brush on the Rugelach as soon as they come out of the oven, then set them all aside to cool down completely.
Notes
General Disclaimer: I highly recommend using the measurements in Grams/Ml for more accuracy and a better result.Ingredients Notes:Flour: Start with 500 gr (3 1/3 cup). If after kneading for a few minutes, the dough seems to be very sticky and wet, add a little more. Depending on the brand of flour you use, you might need a little bit more or less. Always start with less and add if needed to avoid getting a dry dough.Instructions Notes:
The bubbles/froth indicate that the Yeast is alive and activated, and the warm water will help the process. If are 10 minutes or so, you still do not see a reaction, it is possible that the yeast is not alive and you will need to start again with another batch of yeast. If using Instant Yeast, it does not need to be activated in the water and can be added with the rest of the dry ingredients directly.
To know that the dough has been kneaded enough, pull and stretch a small bit of dough. It should easily stretch out and you should be able to see through the dough without it ripping.
Taste and adjust the sweetness level to your liking if desired.
The wider the triangles are, the bigger the rugelach will be.
The 'pointy' end of the rugelach should face down so that it does not lift up while baking.
The syrup should still be slightly runny. If very liquid, keep cooking. If thick, you have cooked it for too long. It should be able to be brushed over the warm rugelach but thick enough to stick enough and not drip straight down. If the glaze starts to harden when you are brushing it over the rugelach, reheat for a couple of minutes to melt the sugar again.