My lovely friend Zsuzsa blogged about this cottage cheese dough and I knew I had to try it. It truly makes a wonderfully flaky pastry and I encourage you to try it. I made these with almonds as a friend’s daughter is allergic to walnuts and it was incredible. I have another tub of cottage cheese in the fridge waiting to be made into another batch. By the way, I used fat free cottage cheese and it worked out remarkably. I also made half of the dough.
Rugelach
Please see Zsusza’s recipe here.
Better than Croissant dough, because it’s not that bad for you
Makes 24 small Rugelach
Ingredients:
- 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese (I used fat free)
- 1 cup unsifted flour
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Directions:
- Spoon the cottage cheese into a sieve over a bowl lined with a unbleached coffee filter; drain for at least 2 hours, or overnight
- Remove 1/2 cup of the cheese for the dough; reserve the rest for another use.
- Pulse the flour and salt just to combine in a food processor (this is why you need not sift it). Add the butter to the flour pulsing on and off until the butter seems to disappear into the mixture.
- Add the cottage cheese in bits to the mixture pulsing to combine until it becomes a relatively loose dough ball.
- Divide the dough into four equal portions and shape each into a flat disc and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Rugelach Ingredients:
- 1 batch of cottage cheese dough
- 1/4 cup strained apricot jam
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped almonds
- 1 egg yolk for glazing
Rugelach Directions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F
- Once the dough is refrigerated and cooled, lightly flour your rolling area. Roll each portion into a circle about 25 cm or 8 inches in diameter. Cut into 6ths like a pie.
- Combine the chopped almonds with 2 tbsp sugar.
- Brush the dough with 1/4 of the apricot jam, sprinkle 1/4 of the almond sugar mixture on top. Starting with the wide end, roll each 6th into a little crescent, pinch the ends a bit and turn into each other. Brush with the whisked egg yolk.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (you will thank me because the jam will melt out and make a darn mess on your baking sheet). Bake 20-25 minutes until golded. store in an air tight container. These freeze particularly well. Serve either warm or at room temperature.
these Rugelach look incredible, almonds seem to be a stunning substitution, I can’t wait to try these in my kitchen, thank you for the recipe ^^
Thanks Trang, I really do hope you try them, it’s relatively easy to make and is quite tasty, and even better they freeze really well — make a batch, have a few and freeze the rest. Perfect for breakfast or tea.
What an interesting dough my friend, first time I have seen it but it looks delicious
great recipe!
Cheers
CCU
Thank you kindly CCU, it’s a very flaky dough, similar to a croissant but not as light and airy. It’s also a lot easier to make.
I only had rugelach with walnut filling before…have to try this with cottage cheese and almond. They look irresistible, Eva.
Thanks Angie, the cottage cheese is in the dough, not the filling, but you have given me a great idea!
This looks lovely, Eva. I’m not sure I could pull this off as I’m not all that good with dough but it does look wonderful and very comforting. I love apricot flavours too so I know I would enjoy this. And they are such a pretty shape xx
Thank you so much Charlie. I’m sure you could pull this off without any issues, you are really a very experienced baker. I’ve still got a few of them in the freezer, they make a lovely treat or a quick breakfast.
These sound delicious!
Thanks Corrina. Hope your new diet is going well.
I think Liz is going to start killing me with all the bread/dough recipes that I keep sending her way. Perhaps I should start taking up that aspect of baking in the house.
Hi Jed, this one is fairly easy but needs a bit of preparation. With your cookie baking experience, I do believe you can do it! But be careful, try not to bake bread better than Liz, unless you like living in the dog house
!
I can’t decide if these are for me or not. Very intrigued. Where do they originate from Eva?
Hi David, I’m pretty sure it’s originally a Jewish pastry but there are also versions from Eastern Europe (which is my connection). The Eastern Europeans used interesting additions to dough to get a variety of textures (cream cheese, sour cream etc). I can’t imagine how they figured out to make these, but I’m glad they did, it’s a fine pastry for breakfast sweets.
Hello Eva, I can imagine how lovely this tastes. Why did you have to post this not I can’t get my mind off that little treat? They actually sound quite easy to make and that is double deadly! Take care, BAM
Thank you kindly Bam, they are indeed very tasty and they freeze rather well. You could make a batch or half batch as I did and freeze it, they microwave beautifully or you could heat them in the oven to enjoy. I do hope you try them.
Perfect Rugelach and how creative that dough is, and I’ll bet it’s wonderful. It’s easy to forget that cottage cheese works so well as a sub for some fattier cheeses. And there’s nothing to not love about the dynamic duo of almonds and apricots. Bravo, Eva!
Thank you kindly Betsy, it was my first attempt at this type of dough and the result was very successful. I recall my dear Mom making this type of thing but I don’t have her recipe for it.
I make a dough that uses cream cheese, Eva, and if this is anything like it, I’m in! And your rugelach sound delicious. As Betsy mentioned, it’s the almond-apricot jam combo that works for me. I don’t bake much but these are something I could do. Imagine that!
Thank you John, the Hungarians use a lot of sour cream in dough making which I suspect lends a similar texture to the dough as cream cheese or cottage cheese! I would definitely recommend this little pasty, and I have no doubt you would do something fabulous to it, John!
I love rugelach but will probably stick to the cream cheese version as I don’t have to do any straining of whey off the curds and the when cream cheese is on sale I can buy it and freeze it for the purpose.
I do the same thing with cream cheese, Maria! I’ve never made this kind of pastry before so that’s why I tried it. It worked very well but I can see why you would stick to your tried and true method. I’ll have to go back to your journal and try to find your recipe and try it next time.
I made mini ones … 12 per circle in 4 combos including chocolate chips.
And the thumbprint cookies with the same dough.
The chocolate chips are an interesting addition. Thanks Maria.
I was sure I posted the link to that post … guess I forgot.
http://a-boleyn.livejournal.com/86855.html
thanks
Your rugelach is perfect, but then is there anything you do not do perfectly? I too have had it with walnuts, but the almond substitute is a good one.
Oh my Norma, you really make me blush, but thank you. The walnuts add a certain earthiness to the pastry which is also lovely. I’m going to make the dough again, but this time I’m making them into more of Danish style pastry.
What perfect crescents…and the apricot filling would be my first choice! YUM!
Thank you kindly Liz. Apricot is a very Eastern European go to flavour for pastries.
I saw this cottage cheese dough over at Zsuzsa’s and was intrigued. Then I saw her pastries and now yours and I know I need to make the cheese so that i can make these delicious Rugelachs! I love the apricot and almond.These are beautiful!
Thanks for dropping by MJ. Now you’re making your own cheese to make these pastries? I’m impressed! I made ricotta last year but I wouldn’t have thought to make it for a specific pastry. This pastry is delicate, flaky and only very slightly sweet.
My sister gave me some rugelach from Zabars and we literally just ate the last one. So I’m glad that I now have a recipe from which to make my own!
Thank you Lorraine. How cool! Do you mean Zabars in New York City? I love that shop.
Eva I am so happy that you liked this recipe; it comes from a fabulous Jewish baker called Flo Braker. Rose Beranbaum [The Cake Bible] admires her too. I am a bit of a snob when it comes to using “real ingredients” which in my vocabulary translates into full fat. Never to sacrifice quality for quantity, so portion control is my mantra. BUT I will definitely try your recipe once I used up the last tub I have in the fridge. Yours look every bit as good if not better and I will take your word for it that it IS good. My daughter may be willing to have your version with almonds. Again she has a concern with fat content plus her hubby is allergic to walnuts. Of all the things I have a walnut tree and I am constantly buying almonds. Sigh. Eva thank you for revamping the recipe, I now raise my morning coffee to Flo Braker and the many wonderful things Jewish kitchens have brought to us over the years.
Thank you Zsuzsa, I can understand your mantra, you’re probably better off using the ‘real’ ingredients instead of the chemically fat reduced versions, I just have a hard time breaking that habit. Mind you, I did buy real Mayonnaise full-fat the other day, and I told my husband to use less.
As FYI, we buy our almonds at Costco, they are always very fresh and I keep them in the freezer so they don’t get moldy. My Aunt has an almond tree at her summer place at Balaton. About 20 years ago, she gave me the first almond it ever produced and I tucked it away in my jewellery box; she was quite miffed that I never tasted it!
I raise my coffee cup to Flo as well, thank you for introducing me to this lovely recipe.
Thanks for the Costco tip Eva. I should try it. For some reason I associate Costco with toilet paper and cheap ground pork. I never bought nuts there. Funny.
Actually Zsuzsa I buy my vanilla pods (12 for $11.99), frozen Canadian Blueberries (I think it’s a kilo for $8or9), frozen large raw shrimp, frozen scallops (best quality I’ve ever found), coho smoked salmon (you probably could do better), goats cheese logs (I cut them down to fifths and freeze), dried wild mushrooms (excellent quality), but I’ve never bought tp!
I don’t normally buy mayo (Miracle Whip is my household preferrence) but I can’t imagine anything more ‘real’ than making your own … though you do have to use the minimum of 1 cup the recipe makes in 2 weeks as there are no preservatives.
I HAVE bought TP at Costco and it’s quite good. Yesterday I came home with whole almonds, sliced almonds, pecan halves, 10 vanilla pods and a big container of oregano. I still have walnuts in my freezer from the last trip there.
I’ll have to check out the TP on my next visit. Do you also know that the pharmacy dispensing fee is less than $4? At shoppers and pharma prix I have paid $11.99!!!
I bought that vanilla too, fortunately it lasts a good long time.
Yes, I knew about the pharmacy as it’s the place I buy my blood pressure medication. Their price was $10 less ($144 instead of $154 for 100 pills) than Rexall and, even now that there’s a generic version so I only have to pay about $40, it’s still worth going there.
And, did you know, that you don’t have to have a Costco membership to get your drugs from the pharmacy? Though you have to have a membership to buy everything else.
No, I wasn’t aware of that. I’ll let my SIL know as her husband is on a cocktail of expensive drugs due to his seizures.
Eva, how could I forget this cottage cheese dough… Your rugelach look amazing!
) and 3 x less fat, so I am in heaven. (And contrary to what some people suggest, I don’t use 3 x more of it!).
Even though I insist on using sometimes the real thing, I also use low-fat mixed, smooth cottage cheese (is it called fromage frais in Canada?) and I think it works perfectly in some recipes. My motto is: if it tastes as good and I can save some cm in my waist, why not try it? As many gourmet women I am torn between wanting to eat only the best and paying attention to my line…
You know, Swiss low-fat mayonnaise tastes like glue, but in France there are two brands which make excellent low fat stuff, even my husband cannot see the difference (not to mention the guests!). The ingredients are the same (there is only more water
Anyway, I love these cute snacks and bookmark them to be made just after your naans!
Thank you kindly Sissi, I wondered if you had made the Naans for that gorgeous Coriander Curry you posted today, it would have been so delicious to mop up the extra sauce.
That’s probably a good motto as long as you can pronounce the ingredients in the list!
I do hope you make these Sissi, I’d love to hear your opinion. Of course, any recipe Zsuzsa posts is guaranteed to be most delicious.
Actually one of the mayonnaise brands (light) I buy is made of free-range eggs, canola oil (not hydrogenated palm oil…) and doesn’t contain anything more than a mayonnaise should, so I’m always wondering: why they add so much awful stuff if even lighter product can be obtained in a normal way…
Anyway, I always read very carefully the ingredients, but haven’t noticed light products having more “bad” stuff than standard ones.
Thanks Sissi.
Oh my goodness, this is so wonderfully inventive. I have never heard of cottage cheese dough… I must add it to my list of *must* tries… your pastry looks delightful Eva and I’m savouring the combination of almond and apricot; sounds utterly tasty!
Thank you so much Kelly, that’s so nice if you to say. It’s a very flaky pastry and not overly sweet since there is very little sugar in it. I’m going to try to make it into a Danish-style pastry next.
It’s been much too long since I’ve had this..looks so warm and flaky!
Thanks SM, I hope you do give it a try, let me know how it works out.
Apricot rugelach is so good…it is hard to only eat just one.
Certainly is Karen and thank you for your kind words.
What a wonderful recipe! I have never heard of it before, and I would love to try it out.
Thanks dough Minnie, it’s a very flaky pastry without a lot of butter. I’m going to try a Danish-style pastry next.
Hi Eva! How are you? WOW, these really take me back, my Mom and godmother used make these kind of desserts, with jam. They are so good, I think your recipe is a bit different, but they look almost the same, like a little croissant.
I’ll have to try them, I like the fact that they don’t need much, in terms of ingredients. I have every thing on that list right now, except for the cottage cheese.
Might actually make them today. Why not .Thanks for another wonderful recipe Eva! Can’t wait for the next one,
Hi Tudor, I’m actually quite fine today, although I wish the sun was out.
It’s s very easy pastry to make and it’s nice and flaky. I think you would be quite successful with it. I’ve seen recipes with cream cheese instead of cottage cheese. I’ve got another cottage cheese draining in the fridge, I’m going to whip up a Danish-style version tomorrow for breakfast, if it works out you will see a post about it! Hope you’re having a fantastic Saturday.
These look and sound lovely and I like your detailed directions in the recipe as I’ve not made these before. I think I’d like to try making a batch and half it as you did.
Thanks for sharing Eva.
You’re most welcome Ruth, I’d love to hear about what you think.
I love anything in pastry, I will most certainly try this one next time i make some, (which is often) .. great recipe Eva, very simple.. c
Thank you C, I’d bring you a bunch to help soothe the sadness of the lambs.
Thank you C, I love a simple recipe and it does come together very quickly.
I haven’t heard of using cottage cheese in a dough, that I recall. But just looking at how this turned out tells me that I need to try it.
Thanks Greg, there are versions that use cream cheese in the pastry, but I liked the idea of the strained cottage cheese. They really are lovely and flaky, I’m going to try this pastry in more of a Danish shape.
Thanks Greg, let me know how it turns out if you do.
Oh and may I add I buy Hellman’s Light Olive Oil Mayonnaise. Not as good as the full fat, but it is the one light mayo product that tastes like mayonnaise.
Thanks Zsuzsa, I’ll give it a try when we run out of this bottle.
I have never seen this dough before and I love it! I love Rugelach and yours looks like one of the best I have seen. The glaze looks perfect and I love apricots and almonds! Yummy
Thank you kindly Judy, many rugelach dough recipes are prepared with cream cheese and not cottage cheese, which makes this particular dough very flaky.
I haven’t seen this dough before either
It certainly looks like something I’d happily treat myself to 
Thank you kindly Fati, it’s a very nice flaky dough that doesn’t taste too rich or heavy.
Wow! These rugelach look amazing Eva! Almonds sound like a fantastic substitute for the walnuts to go with the apricot jam. Yummm!
[...] probably recall that I blogged about my lovely friend Zsuzsa’s cottage cheese dough here, and I knew I wanted to try it in the shape of a Danish. It makes a wonderfully flaky pastry and [...]