Nutella Rugelach Pull-Apart Cake

Sticky and sweet Rugelach filled the iconic cocoa and hazelnut spread, Nutella, baked up in a pull-apart cake thats perfect for sharing

*this recipe was developed in partnership with Nutella and TheFeedFeed. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Lion’s Bread possible.

WHAT IS RUGELACH?

Rugelach are very popular cookies in Israel, as well as the Jewish community all around the world. They are two types of dough that are most commonly used. One is enriched with cream cheese that you often find in the US. The other is a buttery yeasted version that you can find in virtually any bakery, cafe, shuk, or supermarket in Israel. It’s interesting that they’re even called by the same name, because in my opinion, they’re very different cookies!

WHAT DOES “RUGELACH” MEAN?

The word “Rugelach” in Yiddish means “little twists.” The cookies originated in Ashkenazi Polish Jewish communities, but are popular with people of all backgrounds and cultures nowadays. They can be filled with several different fillings like cinnamon and sugar, chocolate, Nutella, jams, or nut butters! Usually they are rolled up into crescent shapes, and resemble small croissants, but you can often see them made in rolled slices.

How to make a Pull-Apart Cake

I love this way of serving rugleach because it’s casual, pretty impressive looking, and incredibly delicious. I chose to fill the rugelach with iconic chocolate and hazelnut spread Nutella, because it is by far the favorite in my house, and works so well with this yeasted dough! Basically, you start by shaping the rugelach. Divide the risen dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll the first piece of dough out into a large rectangle, and spread about 3/4 of a cup of Nutella into a thin even layer on top.

Then, carefully fold the dough in half to make a long skinny rectangle. Use a pizza cutter or a very sharp chef’s knife to cut the dough into about 10 small triangles. Starting from the short side, roll each triangle up into a croissant shape. Repeat with the remaining triangles of dough, as well as the second piece of dough.

Once all of the rugelach are shaped, line a round 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Place all of the rugelach in the pan, very close together, they should be “hugging” in the pan.

Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel, and let proof for an additional 45 minutes. In the meantime, make the simple syrup of water and sugar, and preheat the oven.

After the Nutella Rugelach Pull-Apart Cake is baked, immediately pour the simple syrup over the top. The simple syrup keeps the rugelach soft and delicious for up to 3 days.

WHAT DOES ISRAELI-STYLE YEASTED RUGELACH TASTE LIKE?

In the past couple of years, Chocolate Babka has gained tons of popularity on social media. The best way I can describe Yeasted Chocolate Rugelach is like a miniature babka cookie! Thin layers of enriched pastry, rolled up with a dark chocolate filling, baked till golden brown, and brushed in a light sugar syrup. It almost sounds like too much, but trust me, it’s just right.

INGREDIENTS

Flour – I recommend using unbleached all purpose flour for these rugelach. If you have bread flour, you can absolutely substitute that!

Eggs – For the most consistent results, use AA large organic eggs here. Organic eggs are usually richer, as you can see by the color of their vibrant yellow yolks.

Butter – unsalted butter is the way to go here! The recipe calls for kosher salt, and I like to control the amount of salt that goes into my rugelach.

Oil – I always like to use avocado oil, but you go with any neutral oil that you have on hand. Possible substitutes are canola or grape seed oil. Just stay away from a fruity extra virgin olive oil, the flavors will be too strong.

Raw Honey – The enriched dough calls for raw honey as a sweetener. It adds moisture, tons of flavor to the dough, and helps achieve that golden brown caramelization. If you can’t find raw honey, use any good quality honey that you can find.

Nutella – I absolutely love baking with Nutella! The rich hazelnut cocoa spread is irresistible and a huge favorite in my house, and it is so perfect for these rich yeasted rugelach!

Kosher salt – I always use Morton’s kosher salt. If you’re using diamond crystal, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon (1g).

BAKING TIMELINE

10am: Mix all of the dough ingredients till combined. Knead for 3-5 minutes. Let rise for 1.5 – 2 hours at room temperature.

12pm: Roll out the dough, fill, and shape the rugelach. Let rise at room temperature in a round 9″ baking that has been lined with parchment paper for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1pm: Brush the rugelach with beaten egg, and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Meanwhile make the simple syrup.

1:30: Pour the simple syrup over the hot Rugelach. Don’t skip this step, it’s super important for the softness of the pastry.

HOW TO STORE YEASTED CHOCOLATE RUGELACH

This Nutella Rugelach Pull Apart Cake is the absolute best when eaten fresh and warm from the oven. The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen in an airtight bag for up to 1 month. Allow to come to room temperature, and warm it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 minutes for a freshly-baked taste!

Love this Nutella Rugelach Pull Apart Cake? Be sure to check out Flourless Molten Chocolate Cakes, Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Halva and Walnuts, Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Vanilla Almond Glaze 

I can’t wait to see all of your takes on these Rugelach Cake. I’m telling you right now, your house is going to smell better than it ever has! Remember to tag me in your pictures so that I can see what you’re baking from the blog, @lions.bread

Want to save this recipe for later? Just tap the “P” on any of the images to save it to your favorite Pinterest Boards.

-LeAnne

Print

Nutella Rugelach Pull Apart Cake

Sticky and sweet Rugelach filled the iconic cocoa and hazelnut spread, Nutella, baked up in a pull-apart cake thats perfect for sharing

Course Dessert

Cuisine Jewish

Keyword pull-apart cake, rugelach, yeasted rugelach

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Rise time 2 hours

Servings 9 inch cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour 270 g
• 1.5 teaspoons dry active yeast 5g
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 3g
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 6g
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted 57g
• 1 egg room temperature
• 1 tablespoons avocado oil or any neutral oil 13g
• 1/2 cup milk 125g
• 2 tablespoons raw honey 30g
• 1 1/2 cups Nutella
• Simple Syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 egg beaten for egg wash

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the bowl, then add the melted butter, egg, avocado oil, milk, and raw honey. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When the mixture becomes thick and sticky, start mixing by hand. Pinch to incorporate the ingredients. Begin kneading the dough in the bowl, by hand, until it becomes fairly smooth, and forms a ball. This should take about 3 minutes of kneading. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1.5 hours or until it has doubled in volume.

2. Shape the Rugelach:

3. Divide the risen dough into two equal pieces. Sprinkle your work surface generously with flour. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour. Roll one piece of dough out into a large rectangle, about 14" x 10". The dough should be very thin. Add more flour under the dough as you roll, to prevent sticking.
4. Warm the Nutella in a micro wave for about 15 seconds so it’s easy to pour, but not hot. Spread 2/3 cup of Nutella onto the rectangle of dough in a thin layer, using a small offset spatula. Leave 1/2" border all around. With the long edge facing you, fold the dough up in half lengthwise, enclosing the chocolate filling. Gently tug the edges and corners to meet, and use fingertips to press down the edges to seal. This helps prevent the Nutella from escaping.
5. Use a pizza wheel or sharp chef's knife to cut the dough into large triangles. Pick up one triangle, and gently stretch the triangle out even more lengthwise. Place the dough back down on the work surface, and roll the dough - starting from the straight edge top of the triangle, rolling down into a crescent shape.
6. Place the shaped rugelach in a parchment lined 9-inch round cake pan. Place the rugelach close together, they should definitely be touching. Repeat the same process with the remaining triangles of dough. Then, repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let proof at room temperature for 1 hour.
7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
8. Make the Simple Syrup: In a small sauce pan, combine the granulated sugar and water, and lunch of salt. Whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, and let simmer for 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly, and all of the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
9. Bake the Rugelach:
10. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl, and brush the top of each rugelach with beaten egg. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan 180° halfway through to ensure even browning. The rugelach should be deeply golden brown, almost mahogany on top.

11. Remove from the oven, and pour the simple syrup over the hot rugelach immediately. Be generous with the simple syrup, and use all of it. The simple syrup absorbs completely, and is really important in keeping the rugelach soft and moist.

The post Nutella Rugelach Pull-Apart Cake first appeared on Lion’s Bread Blog.

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