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guava rugelach above
Photo credit Orge Castellano

These Guava Rugelach Taste Like Home

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This recipe for guava rugelach is inspired by Jewish communities in Latin America, who transformed traditional dishes through local ingredients. The dough is enriched with sour cream, and results in a soft, flakey pastry, but pièce de résistance is the guava filling. 

  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 24

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • ¼ cup granulated brown sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

For the filling:  

  • 1 cup guava paste, chopped in medium-sized dice
  • ½ cup water
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup chopped cashews
  • zest of a small lime

For the egg wash:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: Combine the sour cream and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or mix it by hand.
  2. Add the flour, sugar, egg yolks, butter and salt, and mix on low speed for about 5 minutes or until the ingredients come together. Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 3 minutes until the dough is a smooth, soft ball. Divide the dough into two balls. Wrap each ball loosely in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  3. To make the guava filling: Place the guava paste and ½ cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add honey, cinnamon and lime zest until it liquefies and the chunks of guava paste dissolve into a smooth jam. Set aside the warmed jam and let it cool to room temperature before it can be spread on the rolled-out dough, or else the butter and sour cream in the dough will soften to make the rolling-up step challenging. Once chilled, stir in the ½ cup of chopped cashews.
  4. When ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
  5. To assemble: Prepare a board for rolling out dough by flouring it generously. Roll out each chilled ball with a rolling pin into a 10-inch circle. Work with one half at a time, keeping the other one chilled in the refrigerator. Once the disk is rolled-out, wrap it in plastic and rest in the fridge for another 20 minutes. Repeat this process one more time with the other ball.
  6. Place the refrigerated dough onto a lightly floured surface and evenly spread the jam to the edges. Using a pizza wheel or a baking scraper, cut the dough into 12 triangles. Starting with the wider base, roll up each wedge tightly and place it on a lined or silicone baking sheet.
  7. Make the egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water, then brush the cookies with it.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the rugelach are nicely browned.

Notes

  1. The dough needs to rest for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  2. The cookies can be kept tightly wrapped (refrigerated or not) in an airtight container for 4-5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months. 
  3. Guava paste should be stored in a dry cupboard or pantry and never in the refrigerator. 
  • Author: Orge Castellano
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes + 1 hour 20 minutes resting
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Ashkenazi

Find it online: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/these-guava-rugelach-taste-like-home/