Not only is it Election Day in the United States but it’s Tuesdays-with-Dorie, too :) This week’s recipe was for rugelach… one of my favorite cookies. While I love to eat rugelach, I’d never even considered trying to make them because the finished product looked as if it had to be an uber-complex process. And my first attempt truly was humbling because it was an uber-mess which was uber-disappointing. But because I love these so much, I refused to be put down by these little cookies. I switched things up and finally, finally produced some very tasty (and kinda cute, if I must say so myself) rugelach :)
I usually pretty much love Dorie’s recipes. Her recipes for the Perfect Party Cake, Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters, Chocolate Pudding and Cream Puff Ring are among my faves But, although I hate to admit it, some of Dorie’s recipes simply just don’t work well for me. Take for example Dorie’s recipe for pie crust. Try as I might, I just can’t get it right. And the same thing with Dorie’s recipe for rugelach.
I wanted to love Dorie’s rugelach recipe but either the recipe is off or the directions leave a lot to be desired. I’m not quite sure which. I followed the recipe exactly as written and had nothing but trouble. The butter/cream cheese/flour didn’t produce a “dough” by pulsing 8 times in the food processor. In hindsight, I probably should have run the FP longer… but I was afraid since the directions said not to overmix. The dough didn’t come together, after being refrigerated for an hour it was rock-solid, trying to roll it out was a real chore and trying to roll up the little triangles just was darn near impossible for me. In the oven, those suckers just spread all over the place – the filling spread – the dough spread – it was an ugly ol mess and these are the best looking of the batch of 16 cookies.
I honestly don’t know what happened because the vast majority of the other TwD bakers had absolutely no problem with Dorie’s recipe… and I’m thrilled for them :) So don’t go by my experience alone… check out the results from the other TwD bakers right here.
But I refused to be outdone by this recipe since after starting to make it, heck, I wanted to eat some tasty rugelach! The next day I started all over again and this time I used Ina Garten’s recipe. The dough came together much better, it rolled out fine, everything… everything just worked out for me :)
Both times (Dorie’s recipe as well as Ina’s recipe) I made two batches, each with a different filling. One was apricot preserves, cinnamon sugar, almonds and grated chocolate…. the other was cranberry preserves, diced apples, cinnamon sugar, golden raisins and almonds. Both were very good but I definitely preferred the cranberry-apple variety. DH just loved them both equally :)
Having made both Dorie’s rugelach and Ina’s rugelach back to back, it’s easy to compare and contrast my experience. Ina’s recipe has sugar in the batter so it gets a bit of a sweetness boost right there. Also, Ina’s method is to use a stand mixer to cream the butter and cream cheese…. as opposed to Dorie’s recipe in which a food processor is used to pulse the ingredients together. Any way you slice it Ina’s recipe just worked out better for me.
If you’re interested in Dorie’s recipe, it can be found at the blog of this week’s TwD host Piggy of Piggy’s Cooking Journal. If you’d like Ina’s recipe, it can be found here. Making rugelach is a whole lot easier than you might think… it sure was for me.
Have a delicious day!!
Yum! I envy your motivation to go for a second version. I think Dorie’s tasted good, but I don’t think it’s physically possible to meet any kind of presentation standard with it.
Way to be a die hard baker and make the recipe again! They look delicious!
That’s fun that you tried the two recipes back to back. Good experiment! Mine turned out pretty ugly too but they tasted good! :)
Wow! That’s devotion! I was a little wary of the dough as well. The initial pulses were fine. And then to leave it on until "curds" formed was a little nerve wracking. I understand your frustration. Both sound delicious!
I definitely processed Dorie’s until I thought it might be "overprocessed." I’ve had too many problems with her pie dough being crumbly and then melting, so I don’t even try to use that anymore. Baking might be a science, but sometimes it throws you for a loop! I’m going to have to try Ina’s recipe now, just to see which I like better :) Love the flavor combos.
So sorry that the FP didn’t work for you. I pulsed mine for 10 times, then I let it run till it formed large curds. I didn’t think it would, but it did.
Glad you found a way that works for you.
Its too bad it didn’t turn out good for you – but they look great!
You are a die hard TWD baker!! Glad you tried it twice. The photos are beautiful!!
Hey, way to stick with it and then go out and find a recipe that works for you. I would have thrown my hands up and "oh, welled".
As always terrific photos!
~ingrid
Love that you tried both recipes! I’m going to have to try Ina’s because it’s all over TWD today and it sounds like it may be the better recipe! And your second batch came out just perfect!
good to know about the two recipes! your result with ina’s recipe certainly looks cuter :) plus i love sweetness, so i will have to try hers next time!
interesting results! what did you think of the fillings u used in both recipes?
Like everyone else I am so impressed with your dedication!! I had to let mine pulse 8 times and then I just let it run until it looked like little squiggles of dough- her directions are misleading but I thought the taste was quite good! I absolutely love the idea of using chopped apples in filling- I will definitely be doing that next time- thank you for the great suggestion!
They look wonderful! I will have to try out Ina’s recipe… :)
I totally admire your dedication! Isn’t it odd how sometimes a recipe just doesn’t work out, even though you’ve done everything right, followed the directions to a "T"? When I used to be employed as an assistant pastry chef, my boss, a way experienced pastry chef said when that happens, she always blames it on the weather/humidity! I’ve always liked having that as an easy explanation. I think both of your batches of rugelach look delicious, despite your difficulties w/ batch #1. :)
I find that Dorie’s method of cutting the butter and cream cheese into 4 pieces each makes the dough harder to manage. On my second attempt, I cut them into 1-cm cubes and it worked wonderfully. I’m glad you got it right with Ina’s recipe, your rugelach looks really good and I love the idea of including diced apple!
OOoooooh they look bootyful. Yummy as well. So sorry you had trouble with the Dorie Dough. Glad you found one you do like and "that Is how its done." Good Job. I really like the idea of grated chocolate thats a really great suggestion that I learned from you. Yippee. I think those who had a lot of chunky goodness had a little more difficulty rolling. If the dough is rolled out thinly as suggested it is fragile and tears easily so this is where less is more. Great job and they look delish!
AmyRuth
I love the look of the cinnamon on top. AND I am definitely trying Ina’s recipe. I was completely defeated by Dorie’s.
Your rugelach look great! Too bad Dorie’s recipe didn’t work for you… I don’t have a FP, so I tried to make the dough with a hand mixer… Must have lots of patience that way!! But the end result was perfect! I loved these, but to be honest, I had never had these and thus had nothing to compare them with!
Oh how I *heart* Ina…
I am going to try Ina’s recipe too….I love all the BC books..I just got my copy of her new back to basics and have already made a few things..I think this might be my new favorite cook book.
I can commiserate with your baking trials, sometimes certain recipes just don’t work out. Do give Dorie’s reicpe another go though, one day, just to be sure you weren’t having an off day. Whatever the case your flavor combos sound delish! Good on you for not getting discouraged and persevering in your quest to make one of your favorite cookies!
p.s. Sorry I haven’t been around in awhile, life has been bit crazy over here in the Lowlands. Thanks for still dropping by though, I appreciate it!
Never mind, you have a great recipe of your own that works! I love the cranberry/apple combination – you have given me an idea for the next time I try these (’cause the chocolate didn’t do it for me).
I never had a problem with the dough; I just didn’t like the final flavor combination. So, I made a second batch using an independent recipe, and it was all I could do not to eat all of them at once. That’s the nice thing here: we can compare a bunch of recipes and find what works for us. Yours are beautiful — I wish I could grab one right now!
I never had a problem with the dough; I just didn’t like the final flavor combination. So, I made a second batch using an independent recipe, and it was all I could do not to eat all of them at once. That’s the nice thing here: we can compare a bunch of recipes and find what works for us. Yours are beautiful — I wish I could grab one right now!
I never had a problem with the dough; I just didn’t like the final flavor combination. So, I made a second batch using an independent recipe, and it was all I could do not to eat all of them at once. That’s the nice thing here: we can compare a bunch of recipes and find what works for us. Yours are beautiful — I wish I could grab one right now!
I never had a problem with the dough; I just didn’t like the final flavor combination. So, I made a second batch using an independent recipe, and it was all I could do not to eat all of them at once. That’s the nice thing here: we can compare a bunch of recipes and find what works for us. Yours are beautiful — I wish I could grab one right now!
I never had a problem with the dough; I just didn’t like the final flavor combination. So, I made a second batch using an independent recipe, and it was all I could do not to eat all of them at once. That’s the nice thing here: we can compare a bunch of recipes and find what works for us. Yours are beautiful — I wish I could grab one right now!
I never had a problem with the dough; I just didn’t like the final flavor combination. So, I made a second batch using an independent recipe, and it was all I could do not to eat all of them at once. That’s the nice thing here: we can compare a bunch of recipes and find what works for us. Yours are beautiful — I wish I could grab one right now!
I never had a problem with the dough; I just didn’t like the final flavor combination. So, I made a second batch using an independent recipe, and it was all I could do not to eat all of them at once. That’s the nice thing here: we can compare a bunch of recipes and find what works for us. Yours are beautiful — I wish I could grab one right now!
So, interesting. I made Ina’s rugelach last Christmas and had some problems with the dough being too sticky. Granted I made it in the food processor since I don’t have a stand mixer. However, after adding additional flour — in the processor — and again when forming into a ball, as well as the WELL floured pastry board, the dough finally came together. The end result, however, were terrifc rugelach and I am now preparing to bake them again this year.