TWD: Rugelach

It's Tuesdays with Dorie and my 100th post!! Woo-hoo!! Now if I only had a party to go to so I could bring dessert.


                                Rugelach



I was one tablespoon short of butter but I don't think it will make that much of a difference being there are three, yes three sticks of butter and the same amount of cream cheese. I was not liking the taste of my cream cheese though I used it anyway. I bought regular (not whipped) in the tub rather than the brick for it came in the amount of 12oz that was called for in the recipe. It did not taste bad, just different. Maybe the plastic tub imparts an odd flavor; next time I'll by the brick of cream cheese.

The dough was easy to throw together - 10 to 15 minutes tops, including taking photos. I made the dough on Thursday and put it in the freezer to finish on Monday.

Here it is Monday and I thought I would finish these up real quick; alas I did not realize I have to chill the filled dough for another 4 hours or overnight. Into the freezer they go for 2 hours!

To differentiate my two fillings I did one half of the dough crescent style (chocolate/cherry) and the other half rolled and sliced (fig/apricot) as per Dorie's instructions. Not only are the rolled and sliced easier, less time consuming, but a lot less waste of the filling. I noticed that smaller crescents roll a lot easier than the larger ones; go figure. The excess filling I will be throwing into the freezer for cookies later.

Speaking of waste, I felt the filling and coating measurements were excessive - I had a lot leftover. Maybe I did not put enough on my pastry as I was supposed to.

I wish I had made the fig/apricot in the crescent shape. They held their form a lot better than the rolled and are WAY better tasting then the chocolate/cherry flavor. Overall these are really good and as one other blogger asks her tester "are these a keeper?" Yes, they are.

For the recipe see this week's hosts' sites: Margaret and Jessica

Success meter (1-3): 3

Since I did not use any kind of jam with this,

I brushed the dough with melted butter so the

sugar mixture would adhere.

A large ice pack kept my dough the perfect

temperature while adding the filling.

The spilled out filling after rolling the

crescent shapes.

No spilled filling with the rolled version!

The directions should say to pinch the dough to seal.

The caramelized filling is to die for!

The second batch I baked seam side down rather

than cut side down. Fared a little better.

While still warm I scooped up the excess and

stuffed it back inside.

A lot of leftover filling and topping!

TWD: Chocolate Truffle Tartlets

Baking with Julia: Contributing baker David Ogonowski


                         Chocolate Truffle Tart

I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. I thought for sure these were going to be extremely rich and overly sweet which they were not. The tart has a crunchy, cocoa flavored crust and the filling came out with a moist brownie like texture with small chunks of white and milk chocolate and crunchy biscotti in the center. I think a drizzle of raspberry sauce would set this off and make it really pop!

The instructions require you to remove the bottom of the tart pan and place the ring directly on to a parchment covered cookie sheet. I have made several tarts over the years and have never done this and felt uncomfortable doing so and went with what I knew from past experience and placed my tart pan (with the bottom in!) directly on the oven rack. The crust turned out perfect.

I'm glad the notes mentioned that the dough breaks apart at times while rolling out (I think if you let it rest for about 30 minutes after you remove it from the refrigerator you can alleviate most of this - I was short on time.) for mine certainly did as you can see in the photos. I just went with the idea that it was an art project I was piecing together - like you would with clay; otherwise I would have been extremely frustrated.

As I bake I jot down notes on a list so I do not forget what I want to mention in my post. While writing this I am reading one note that my sister wrote down: "My sister had to wait a really long time for dessert while I shot (taking pictures) this." Funny Laura!! Hahaha!

Success meter (1-3): 3

Pastry scraps - could not stop eating...

Makeshift cookie sheet made from foil.

This is best served the day it is made.

Still good the next day; the flavor just

not as intense and the crust softer.