Name: Chalve Rugalach
Prep time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 8-oz package cream cheese, cold and cubed; 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed; 2½ cups flour, plus additional for rolling out the dough; ½ tsp salt; ¾ cup tahini sauce, well mixed; ¼ cup honey; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 generous pinch kosher salt; 1 egg; 1 tsp water; dry roasted sesame seeds

Chalve Rugalach

Desserts

Servings: 48 Rugalach

Author: Ester Vider

This recipe combines an old favorite with a new flavor.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 40

Cook TIme per Tray 18

Ingredients

Dough

1 8-oz package cream cheese, cold and cubed
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed
2½ cups flour, plus additional for rolling out the dough
½ tsp salt

Filling

¾ cup tahini sauce, well mixed
¼ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 generous pinch kosher salt

Egg Wash and Topping

1 egg
1 tsp water
dry roasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the Dough

Combine cream cheese, butter, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse together until dough is formed and the fat is spread evenly within the flour. Dough might be a bit crumbly.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.
When ready to bake, remove dough from the refrigerator and cut it into 4 pieces. If dough was refrigerated overnight, let it warm up slightly so it’ll easier to work with.

Make the Filling

In a separate small bowl combine all the filling ingredients to make the Chalvah spread. Set aside.

Make the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a circle that's about 1/8-inch thick. If the dough is too hard to work with, wait few more minutes. It will loosen up as it comes to room temperature.
Spread 1/4 of the Chalvah mixture onto the rolled dough.
Cut the dough into 12 wedges.
Roll each wedge up, starting from the thickest end, until you form a crescent shape.
Repeat the rolling, topping and shaping process with the other three pieces of dough.
Place the rugalach on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. (You can also freeze the rugalach at this point for later use.)
Beat together egg and water, and brush the tops of the rugalach. Sprinkle with dry roasted sesame seeds.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the rugalach to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Monitor the first batch as your oven might be different than mine.
Store in airtight container.

Notes

Inspired by my need to play in the kitchen. I combined the traditional cream cheese dough with a make-do homemade chalvah spread.