Rugelach ( ; , , or ; rōgalaḵ)התקבלו 4 פירושים במילון לרוגלך is a filled baked confection originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. It has become a popular treat among Jews in the diaspora and in Israel.
Traditional rugelach are shaped into a crescent by rolling a triangle of dough around a filling.Joan Nathan, Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook, Schocken, 2004; page 284.Judith M. Fertig, All American Desserts, Harvard Common Press, 2003; page 135. Some sources state that the rugelach and the French croissant share a common Viennese ancestor, crescent-shaped pastries commemorating the lifting of the Turkish siege,Gil Marks, The World of Jewish Cooking, Simon and Schuster, 1996; page 326. possibly a reference to the Battle of Vienna in 1683. This appears to be an urban legend, however, as both the rugelach and its supposed ancestor, the Kipferl, predate the Early Modern era, while the croissant in its modern form did not originate earlier than the 19th century (see viennoiserie). This leads many to believe that the croissant is simply a descendant of one of these two.
An alternative form is constructed much like a strudel or nut roll, but unlike those, the rolled dough and filling are cut into slices before baking.Joseph Amendola and Nicole Rees, The Baker's Manual, Wiley, 2003; page 223.
Etymology The Yiddish word rugelach comes from the Polish rogaliki. In Polish, means "corner" or "horn" – both the kind on an animal and the musical instrument. Croissant-shaped pastries, which look like horns, are called in Polish, see . is almost identical in pronunciation and meaning to the Yiddish word . The ending () indicates the plural in Yiddish.
Ingredients Rugelach can be made with sour cream or cream cheese doughs, but there are also pareve variants (with no dairy ingredients),The Taste of Shabbos, Aish HaTorah, 1987; page 118. so that it can be eaten with or after a meat meal and still be kosher. Cream cheese doughs are the most recent, while yeast leavenedJudy Bart Kancigor (2007). Cooking Jewish. Workman. p. 474. and sour cream doughsBarbara Grunes (2006). "Best-Ever Rugelach". The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 68.Helene Siegel and Karen Gillingham, Ida's Rugelach, Totally Cookies Cookbook, Celestial Arts Publishing, Berkeley, 1995; page 74. are much older.
The different fillings can include raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chocolate, marzipan, poppy seed, or fruit preserves which are rolled up inside. Vanilla-filled rugelach have become popular in New York in recent decades.
In recent years, chefs have introduced savory versions of these pastries, filled with chicken and schmaltz or salmon and boursin cheese.Eisenberg, Joyce, and Ellen Scolnic (2016). The Whole Spiel: Funny Essays About Digital Nudniks, Seder Selfies and Chicken Soup Memories. Incompra Press. p. 126. .
See also
American Jewish cuisine Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine Israeli cuisine Jewish cuisine
Other crescent pastries and rolls Croissant Kifli
Other fruit-filled pastries Bourekas Hamantash Kolach Krantz cake Ma'amoul
References
Further reading
Bellin, Mildred Grosberg. "Rugelach—Elsie Waldman's Recipe". The Jewish Cookbook.