The Best Parts of Israeli, American & Eastern European Rugelach, Combined (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between American and Israeli Rugelach? ›

Rugelach

In Israel, rugelach are still made with yeasted dough, which results in squidgy, dense pastries, while in the States, the yeast — a complex, time-consuming ingredient to work with — was replaced sometime around the 1930s by a simpler dough enriched with cream cheese, yielding a flakier cookie.

Rugelach are often served on Jewish holidays like Hanukkah and Shavuot, though of course they can (and should!) be made throughout the year. Our family typically serves them during Rosh Hashanah, when sweet foods are made to signify a sweet new year.

Rugelach (/ˈruːɡələx/ ROO-gəl-əkh; Yiddish: ראגעלעך, or Yiddish: רוגעלעך, romanized: rugelekh and Hebrew: רוגלך rōgalaḵ) is a filled baked confection originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. It is also a popular treat among Jews in the diaspora.

Cream cheese fillings are also a popular choice and make these little bites of deliciousness even more decadent and melt-in-your-mouth. Traditionally, Rugelach is eaten on the Jewish Sabbath, but it can also be enjoyed all year round, and makes a lovely gift to give to celebrate Hannukah or any other holiday.

It is popular in Israel and among Jews around the world. Rugelach is made by rolling a triangle of dough around a sweet filling, such as nuts, chocolate, jam, or poppy seeds. The name rugelach means “l*ttle twists” or “l*ttle corners” in Yiddish, because of the shape of the pastry.

American chocolates are lighter and sweeter; using a smaller variety of ingredients like caramel, almonds, peanuts, and chocolate cream. European chocolate, in comparison, is darker and richer. Its ingredients could be anything from fruits, nuts, spices, and herbs, to caramels, ganaches and more.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover rugelach in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

noun. , Jewish Cooking. , plural rug·e·lach. a bite-size pastry made by rolling a triangle of dough around a filling of jam, nuts, raisins, etc.

There are plenty of popular desserts in Israel from tahini cookies, malabi to chocolate or cinnamon babka, to hamentaschen and sufganiyot. What do Orthodox Jews eat for dessert? There are plenty of desserts that orthodox Jews eat like babka, Lekach, sufganiyot, rugalach, etc.

You can freeze rugelach pastries before or after baking them. Before baking, you can freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until frozen. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

What does Kasha mean in Hebrew? ›

There is no Hebrew word “kasha.” The closest word would be קשה (kasheh), meaning “difficult, hard.” The word “kasha,” on the other hand, is Russian, not Hebrew. It means either (uncooked) groats or buckwheat, or else porridge (grain cooked in a liquid).

Babka is a yeast bread that is rolled with chocolate filling. It's usually made in a loaf pan. Rugelach is rolled like croissants. The main differences between the two of them are their shape and the type of dough they use.

Some people believe that Austria was the birthplace of rugelach, where it was made to commemorate the expulsion of the Turks. Bakers in Austria celebrated the victory by baking crescent-shaped pastries called 'kipferin'.

Storage: Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 days. To refresh, place the rugelach on a sheet pan and reheat at 300 degrees until warm.

Rugelach and schnecken are the subject of much confusion in the world of Jewish baking. They are both treats made from the combination of cookie or yeast dough and are filled with different ingredients, like ground nuts, raisins, and jam.

Israeli couscous is markedly larger than plain couscous and lacks the butter-yellow hue signature of its diminutive namesake. Beyond size and color, the Nosher writes that Israeli couscous has a more toasted-wheat flavor, as the pasta pearls are toasted before drying and packaging.

There's always an egg dish involved (whatever style you prefer or even shakshuka!), fresh salads (including Israeli salad of course), cheeses, spreads (including fish such as tuna or herring), breads, hummus, tehina, labaneh, butter and jelly, the list goes on!

Some people make Rugelach that looks like Schnecken but it's the dough that really makes the difference. Schnecken is made with sour cream, whereas Rugelach is made with Cream Cheese.