The Best Rugelach You Will Ever Have!

I always want to make rugelach. It just seems like the dessert, that if you make a great batch, you have climbed to the top of the baking ladder. I think the reason that rugelach is so hard to make is because you have to get the perfect dough, one that's moist and fluffy. And you also have to master the perfect filling, one that is also moist and not thin and dry. The first recipe I ever tried was from Ina Garten and that was a disaster. Who ever thought to make rugelach without a yeast dough, instead using sour cream in the dough is crazy. You cant make rugelach without a yeast dough. I found this recipe online from PragmaticAttic.wordpress.com But it took me a while to get the recipe because she only talks about it and says that she got it from a recipe on google books from Delights of the Jewish Kitchen by Tzipora Kreizman, which BTW I saved in my bookmarks. Whatever. I got it. This recipe takes a lot of time but is so worth it! It's a different type of rugelach dough. She makes it almost like you would a crescent dough, but not as intensive. So it's basically a combination of traditional fluffy rugelach dough, and layered flaky croissant dough.

It's heaven. After you bake them and take a bite, you can literally see the layers and layers of flakiness. It's so cool to think 'wow! I made that!' I didn't follow the filling recipe because I wanted a cinnamon filling instead of a nuts and jam filling, but as long as you got the dough, you can fill it with whatever you want!

OK so basically she makes a yeast dough, and then she spreads it with a butter/margarine + flour mixture and folds it. She then refrigerates it and rolls it out and then folds it again and then refrigerates it again and then fills it. I know, it's kind of time consuming, but if you are a multitasker in the kitchen like me, while you wait for the dough in the fridge you can do a million other things.
There are 2 things I changed about this recipe and I will tell you why.

1) The recipe calls for caked yeast. I didn't have any. I used active dry yeast. So I THINK that with caked yeast, you don't need warm water and you don't need to wait? Correct me if I'm wrong, because that's how she asked it to be done. Just dissolve the caked yeast in the liquid and continue. So when I made these, I used my own active dry yeast insted of caked. The thing is I usually mix active dry yeast in a warm liquid. OK so here is how I would change it. I would still use active dry yeast but sprinkle it over a warm liquid and wait for it to bubble. Then after making the dough, I would let it rise before spreading the butter mixture and refrigerating. You know to get MAXIMUM rise out of the dough. I think it will be way fluffier! Trust me.

2) After mixing the ingredients for the dough, it was EXTREMELY dry. Like to the point that it seemed like there was obviously not enough liquid. Weird right? I measured correctly I promise. So I added a little oil and an extra egg. I recommend you to stick with the original recipe, and if the same thing happens to you, THEN add the extra oil and egg.

OK so I will post the link to the original recipe. And my altered version. I wouldn't advise you to alter the recipe unless I was sure it would make a better difference. So I think you should try mine but whatever. I do however REALLY want anyone who will read this, and make the recipe, PLEASE comment back here and tell me which version you used and how it came out! Thanks!

Original Recipe: (when you get to the page just click the blue "page 134" to get to the recipe) Folded Dough Crescents

My Version of Folded Dough Crescents:

Dough #1
5 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warmed orange juice- 110 degrees (I did mine in the microwave)
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tbsp sugar

Dough #2
2 cups flour
2 cups (4 sticks) butter or margarine. (Another thing changed I used UNSALTED margarine)

Filling: Fill with whatever you like. The baking temp and time is the same.

Directions:
Sprinkle the yeast over the warmed orange juice and let sit for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and create a well in the center. Pour the yeast into the well. Add eggs, oil and sugar and knead for about 3-5 minutes until dough is soft and smoothly textured and is a pliable dough. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for one hour.

In the meantime, make dough #2. In a bowl combine flour and butter or margarine, and mix until very well combined. Divide into 3 balls.

Divide dough #1 into three even pieces. Roll each piece out to about a 15 inch round. The dough shouldn't be thicker than 1/8 inch. Spread thickly and evenly with one of the butter balls (dough #2). Fold in the sides and then the top and the bottom flaps. Fold the bottom flap on top of the top flap and fold in half (confusing? Pictures below! :) ) Wrap in plastic. Repeat this with the rest of the doughs and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Generously spread dough #1 like this.

Fold in the sides first. And then the bottom...

....and the top... 

and then fold them together......

 and then like this, but I just folded it in half.

Unwrap the dough and roll out to the same 15 inch round. Fold again like before and wrap with plastic and refrigerate for another 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.
When the dough is ready, roll out, fill and roll up your rugelach. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until rugelach are LIGHTLY browned.