Baker/owner Guy Hanuka, BUNS Bakery, Hope & Main, Warren
You can use this same yeast dough recipe to make babka, too. I encourage you to try different fillings depending on your mood or the seasons. Cranberry, cinnamon, chocolate, hazelnut spread, fruit jam, almond butter—it will all be delicious!
Ingredients
- 4½ cups (560 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (11 grams) active dry yeast
- 2 (4 ounces) fresh eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) salt
- 5 tablespoons (75 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups Nutella (hazelnut cocoa spread), peanut butter or jam (choose your preferred filling)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 egg combined with 1 tablespoon water
Preparation
Combine flour, sugar, yeast, 2 eggs, milk, salt and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed to incorporate, approximately 4 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the mixer and work the dough into a smooth ball.
Place in a clean bowl, cover and let rise until double in size, approximately 1 hour. Divide into 2 equal pieces.
Using a rolling pin, roll the first piece of dough to an 8- by 22-inch rectangle. Smear 1 cup Nutella (or your favorite filling) over the bottom ⅔ (8 inches) of the dough.
Fold the top ⅓ (the plain portion) over the middle, then fold the bottom ⅓ of the covered dough over the middle to make an evenly layered packet.
Lightly flour the work surface, roll the filled dough to a 15- by 28-inch rectangle. (If the dough is too soft or resists (bounces back), cover and chill for 10 to 30 minutes.)
Continue by cutting the rectangle with a sharp knife, dough cutter or pizza wheel lengthwise into 3 strips, each measuring 5 by 28 inches.
Now you’ll form the triangles, each with a 2-inch base, by cutting on the diagonal, making even triangles alternately pointing up and then down across the full length so you don’t waste any dough.
Gently pull apart the first triangle and gently stretch to elongate it. Roll it up, starting at the wide base and ending at the narrow tip. Now you have a rugelach! With the pointy end tucked under the bottom, place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining triangles, placing rugelach 2 inches apart. Repeat with second piece of dough and 1 cup filling. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise, approximately 1 hour. Preheat oven to 370°F.
Meanwhile, make the simple syrup: Bring the sugar and the water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat, stir and set aside.
After an hour, unwrap the rugelach and brush lightly with egg wash. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through, rotating the pans midway through baking.
Remove pans from the oven and brush generously with simple syrup. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
