Chestnut and Goji Berry Rugelach

Classic sweet rugelach get a Chinese twist with a filling of chestnuts, goji berries, and Chinese five-spice powder.

  • Serves

    makes Makes about 5 dozen

  • Time

    4 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (9 oz.) all-purpose flour
  • 8 oz. chilled cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 sticks plus 4 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup goji berries
  • 14 cup ginger liqueur, such as Domaine de Canton
  • 1 cup vacuum-packed, cooked chestnuts
  • 1 cup whole walnuts
  • 12 cup honey
  • 12 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the flour with the cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the vanilla and the egg yolk and pulse until a dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into quarters, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough disks for 2 hours.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter then remove from the heat and let cool. In a small bowl, combine the goji berries with the ginger liqueur and 1⁄4 cup boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes to soften, then drain the goji berries. In a food processor, pulse the chestnuts and walnuts into coarse crumbs. Scrape the nuts into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, the melted butter, and the honey and five-spice powder until the filling is evenly combined.

Step 3

Heat the oven to 350°. On a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar, roll 1 dough disk into a 10-inch circle, about 1⁄8-inch thick. Spread 1⁄4 of the filling in a thin layer evenly over the entire surface of the dough and sprinkle with 1⁄4 of the goji berries. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough like a pizza into 16 wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge into a crescent shaped cylinder. Repeat with the remaining dough disks, filling, and goji berries.

Step 4

Arrange the rugelach among 4 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 1⁄2-inches apart and making sure the tip is tucked underneath the cookie, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. Brush each rugelach with some of the beaten egg, then bake, 2 baking sheets at a time and rotating from top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the rugelach to a rack and let cool completely.
  1. In a food processor, combine the flour with the cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the vanilla and the egg yolk and pulse until a dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into quarters, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough disks for 2 hours.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter then remove from the heat and let cool. In a small bowl, combine the goji berries with the ginger liqueur and 1⁄4 cup boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes to soften, then drain the goji berries. In a food processor, pulse the chestnuts and walnuts into coarse crumbs. Scrape the nuts into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, the melted butter, and the honey and five-spice powder until the filling is evenly combined.
  3. Heat the oven to 350°. On a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar, roll 1 dough disk into a 10-inch circle, about 1⁄8-inch thick. Spread 1⁄4 of the filling in a thin layer evenly over the entire surface of the dough and sprinkle with 1⁄4 of the goji berries. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough like a pizza into 16 wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge into a crescent shaped cylinder. Repeat with the remaining dough disks, filling, and goji berries.
  4. Arrange the rugelach among 4 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 1⁄2-inches apart and making sure the tip is tucked underneath the cookie, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. Brush each rugelach with some of the beaten egg, then bake, 2 baking sheets at a time and rotating from top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the rugelach to a rack and let cool completely.
Recipes

Chestnut and Goji Berry Rugelach

  • Serves

    makes Makes about 5 dozen

  • Time

    4 hours

Best Jewish Recipes
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

By Jake Cohen


Published on December 2, 2015

Classic sweet rugelach get a Chinese twist with a filling of chestnuts, goji berries, and Chinese five-spice powder.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (9 oz.) all-purpose flour
  • 8 oz. chilled cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 sticks plus 4 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup goji berries
  • 14 cup ginger liqueur, such as Domaine de Canton
  • 1 cup vacuum-packed, cooked chestnuts
  • 1 cup whole walnuts
  • 12 cup honey
  • 12 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the flour with the cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the vanilla and the egg yolk and pulse until a dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into quarters, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough disks for 2 hours.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter then remove from the heat and let cool. In a small bowl, combine the goji berries with the ginger liqueur and 1⁄4 cup boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes to soften, then drain the goji berries. In a food processor, pulse the chestnuts and walnuts into coarse crumbs. Scrape the nuts into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, the melted butter, and the honey and five-spice powder until the filling is evenly combined.

Step 3

Heat the oven to 350°. On a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar, roll 1 dough disk into a 10-inch circle, about 1⁄8-inch thick. Spread 1⁄4 of the filling in a thin layer evenly over the entire surface of the dough and sprinkle with 1⁄4 of the goji berries. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough like a pizza into 16 wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge into a crescent shaped cylinder. Repeat with the remaining dough disks, filling, and goji berries.

Step 4

Arrange the rugelach among 4 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 1⁄2-inches apart and making sure the tip is tucked underneath the cookie, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. Brush each rugelach with some of the beaten egg, then bake, 2 baking sheets at a time and rotating from top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the rugelach to a rack and let cool completely.
  1. In a food processor, combine the flour with the cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the vanilla and the egg yolk and pulse until a dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into quarters, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough disks for 2 hours.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter then remove from the heat and let cool. In a small bowl, combine the goji berries with the ginger liqueur and 1⁄4 cup boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes to soften, then drain the goji berries. In a food processor, pulse the chestnuts and walnuts into coarse crumbs. Scrape the nuts into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, the melted butter, and the honey and five-spice powder until the filling is evenly combined.
  3. Heat the oven to 350°. On a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar, roll 1 dough disk into a 10-inch circle, about 1⁄8-inch thick. Spread 1⁄4 of the filling in a thin layer evenly over the entire surface of the dough and sprinkle with 1⁄4 of the goji berries. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough like a pizza into 16 wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge into a crescent shaped cylinder. Repeat with the remaining dough disks, filling, and goji berries.
  4. Arrange the rugelach among 4 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 1⁄2-inches apart and making sure the tip is tucked underneath the cookie, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. Brush each rugelach with some of the beaten egg, then bake, 2 baking sheets at a time and rotating from top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the rugelach to a rack and let cool completely.

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