CINNAMON RUGELACH LOAF BREAD

Rugelach! twists of yeasted, flaky goodness. Cinnamon has been presented in desserts since its discovery. Commonly observed in cinnamon rolls, cakes, cupcakes, bars and, in this instance, a Cinnamon rugelach loaf bread. Comprising of a twisted pastry dough rolled in between a buttery cinnamon filling and baked in a loaf baking tin, it is that simple!

Rugelach are delicious; once you make these, they will be your next favourite confection.

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Facts About Rugelach

1. The dough can be made as a yeasted pastry or cookie-like.
2. Various ingredients can be used interchangeably, which may affect texture but will still yield delicious Rugelach.
3. Rugelach can be baked as singular units like cookies or croissants or baked in moulds as cakes.
4. Different fillings can be incorporated, making them have a variety of flavours.
5. Rugelach can be baked sweet or savoury.
6. Rugelach can be rolled in a variety of ways: like croissants or simply like cinnamon rolls. ( any shape that works for you will do)
7. Rugelach are insanely delicious.

A Versatile Dessert

Rugelach is a popular confection among Jewish communities that is delectably easy and fun to make.

What makes rugelach unique is; that the dough cannot be distinguished from a pastry or a cookie. While others do not, you will find recipes using sour cream or cream cheese in the absence of yeast, steering them more on the crispy cookie-pastry texture. However, some might argue that the original regulach dough was yeasted , similar to this one with delicate buttery and light interiors and flaky outparts like croissants.

Rugelach can be made in small singular units or baked in a mould like in a loaf bread cake pan. The fact that the dough can be tailored to one’s preference makes them the most versatile dessert there is.

As a pastry, I bake regulach with yeasted dough and with only one addition to the ingredients, cream cheese or Sour cream, which I use interchangeably depending on availability.

Like the dough, the filling is also versatile—Cinnamon, chocolate, Bischoff, cream cheese, caramel, nuts, raisins and fruit jams.

Another diversity observed in regulach is; that they can be made sweet and savoury. Besides the mentioned fillings, try incorporating fried onions and tomato paste or your favourite spicy dish and see how that goes.

Few Things to Note Before Making Cinnamon Rugelach Loaf Bread.

Make the dough a day before baking and refrigerate. The dough is quite delicate and will get sticky quickly if it’s not correctly chilled in the fridge. Refrigeration of the dough makes it easy to roll and fill without sticking.

The filling can be incorporated in two ways.

1. The first and easy method, the dough can be rolled thin into a rectangle. Then, the filling is spread out afterwards; small-sized triangles are cut from the rectangle and rolled from the broader base towards the pointed ends to make a roll.

2. The second way of incorporating the filling is rolling the dough flat, spreading out the filling, and then folding in the filling like you would a croissant in lamination.

Don’t overdo the cinnamon filling. Since the dough is rolled out pretty thin and the filling rolled and pressed in a sandwich, it can easily seep out or tear out the dough.

The Simple Syrup is spread generously on baked rugelach immediately from the oven, ensuring maximum absorption and keeping them moist and soft.

How to make Cinnamon Rugelach Loaf bread.

Make the rugelach dough.

Start by mixing milk with room temperature unsalted butter and heat just until the butter fully melts. Remove from heat and set the mixture aside to slightly cool if it’s too hot.

Afterwards, mix all-purpose flour with sugar, salt, and yeast in a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment. Then add eggs, cream cheese, and milk mixture, and mix on medium speed until dough is soft with no lumps( for about 14 minutes ).

Chill the dough.

Transfer the dough into a glass mixing bowl greased with vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking. Cover the dough with a cling film and refrigerate overnight or leave at room temperature for about one hour just until the dough doubles in volume. However, since the dough is pretty soft, I recommend refrigerating overnight and working it while cold.

Make Cinnamon Filling

You will need room temperature butter, cinnamon powder and granulated brown sugar.

Cinnamon filling is incorporated in two ways. First, you can roll out the dough, spread it with butter, and then sprinkle it with sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Secondly, you can mix sugar, butter and cinnamon in a bowl and apply it as a paste to the rolled-out dough. I used the paste method in this recipe.

Roll and shape.

When ready, lightly flour a working surface and transfer the dough to it. Roll it out into a large rectangle ( you can trim the edges). Spread the cinnamon filling, then fold the rolled-out dough in half to completely enclose it.

Afterwards, using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut a zig-zag line throughout the rolled and filled dough to make small-sized triangles.

Roll the cut triangles, starting from the broader base of each towards the pointed end, to form a croissant-like pastry.

Transfer each piece into a loaf baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover with a kitchen towel and let sit for twenty minutes, then brush with egg whites.

Bake.

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 170 degrees until the top part turns dark brown.

Brush with Simple Syrup.

To make sugar syrup, mix sugar with water you can flavour with the zest of orange or vanilla, let it come to a boil, then immediately generously brush over hot baked cinnamon each loaf.

Equipment You Will Need

1. Stand Mixer
2. Loaf Baking pan
3. Spatula
4. Pastry brush

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