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Recipe #293
In July, I went blueberry (and cherry and raspberry) picking with my mom and my aunt at Hick’s Orchard in upstate New York in the Adirondacks. It’s near Lake George, so if you are ever in the area check it out.
It was tons of fun and would definitely do it again. We made blueberry scones, mixed berry cobbler, a cherry pie, and lots of blueberry jam. Looking at these pictures is making me miss summer. And it’s only just gotten *relatively* cold here in Southern California. I’m a summer-girl through and through.
My aunt and my mom.
So, why am I writing about blueberries in November?
This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was Rugelach, chosen by Piggy of Piggy’s Cooking Journal.
You can go to her blog to check out Dorie’s recipe.
I’ve never made rugelach before. The dough is fairly simple–just flour, cream cheese, and butter. The filling is basic–jam, chocolate, currants, a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar. It should have been easy, in retrospect maybe it was but I just didn’t realize it.
I followed the recipe for the dough, made it the night before and stuck it in the refrigerator. For the filling, I used my homemade blueberry jam (yup that’s right) instead of the apricot or raspberry that was suggested. I also used Trader Joe’s orange-flavored dried cranberries instead of currents, almonds instead of walnuts or pecans, and milk chocolate instead of bittersweet.
Assembling these things is the point where it got sticky {literally}. I think there is a window of opportunity for rolling out the dough when it is not too cold, but not too warm. I missed it. The dough got sticky real fast. I used more than a light sprinkle of flour to make it not stick. My uncooked rugelach looked fugly, even after I brushed on an egg wash and sprinkled the cookies with sugar. On top of that, I wasn’t impressed with the little tastes of raw dough.
Fugly rugelach
Somehow my oven worked its magic and the cookies came out looking gorgeous. Not only that, the rugelach taste great. The flavors of the dough, jam, sugar, chocolate all melded together. Even P, my picky husband [ex-husband since 2009], loved these. He calls them “arugulas”. 😛
Oven magic
Pink Stripes 
Ciao ! I agree the arugulas are great ! I would love to pick blueberries too !
Nice job! they look amazing! I love that you used your own blueberry preserves!
And i wholeheartedly agree that the pre-cooked Rugelach does look fugly!!!
But when they come out they look like a dream… 🙂
I will first say your Rugelach turned out beautifully but now I have to let the green eyed monster out….I miss my So Cal weather as a transplant in Tennessee AND I miss Trader Joes AND I love blueberry picking but didn’t get to go this year.
Anyway!! Again I say, yours turned out beautifully, even if they were fugly to begin with! 🙂
Those look gorgeous. The flavor combination sounds yummy. Nice work!
I’d agree that the dough itself doesn’t seem promising, but when you add the filling – magic! Especially with homemade blueberry jam, I’d bet. Gorgeous!
Gorgeous! Love the “oven magic”.
Blueberry….brilliant!
I thought that the name rugelach sounds like some nasty green vegetable.
I love that you used jam you made yourself, awesome! Mine looked hideous but man they were tasty, yours are so nicely shaped!
yep this is one dough you do not want to eat raw..!! but it does come together fabulously in the end. the rolls look wonderful!
Oh, they DO look gorgeous! And homemade blueberry jam! Extra credit for you, my friend! Gotta love those arugulas!
I’ve been wanting to try a savory version since I read Dorie’s article – maybe arugula rugelach? Ha ha. Your cookies do look like magic, and I agree about the flavors- yum. Loved your sweet pictures and story about blueberry picking, and look at all those tasty treats you got! When my girls were little we used to pick blueberries when we visited my parents in Connecticut. We even bought a special blueberry cookbook. But I never have been brave enough for jam. Sterilizing jars gives me the frights.
Ok, so now I’m looking to see if your a New Yorker too! I live in the foothills of the Adirondacks myself and have family that lives in Lake George!
Nope, I’m a Californian. I have relatives that have lake house in the Adirondacks.
They do look perfect, what a great colour you got on them. Funny how some things correct themselves in the oven.
Oh that sugar on those looks so delicious! They are perfect. I think the blueberries sound great.
homemade jam! Very impressive
They look great! I’m a fellow TWD baker, and I was thinking that it would be nice if we all could chip in and get Laurie some small token/gift for all the work she does. Would you be willing to contribute? If I can get enough people, it would only be about $1 per person. No pressure 🙂 Let me know! bethberg12@yahoo.com
OMW…blueberries…what could be better than blueberries in these…I would never have thought of that…but oh, they look very good. Great job! Nice photos, too!
Your rugelach came out perfectly. Nice combo. of not totally traditional fillings too.
Blueberry filling in any baked good wins hands down in my book. Looking at the end result I would never know you had trouble with the dough; they look delicious.
Arugulas…thats funny. Speaking to a friend on the phone when telling her what I was making she said “you mean Arugula the vegetable?” ha ha
Your descriptive post about summer berry picking is awesome. Rugelach is delish and yours looks pretty. Looking forward to trying chocolate as well as other fruit flavors.
AmyRuth
PS Pics are up now, thanks so much for stopping by and your kind words. So fun to hear from everyone.
they look just perfect!
Gimme some of that argulas! Ooooooh yeah! 😉
That last photo is lovely. I guess I’m going to have to try making these after all … 😉
I think it’s fantastic that you make your own jam. And I’m jealous–I miss Trader Joe’s! My rugelach looked a little weird before baking, too, and I’m sure it didn’t help that I missed the instruction to chill the filled dough before baking… =)
These certainly were fugly, but darned tasty too.
Mine got a makeover in the oven too, LOL. Yours look and sound delish!
My picky hubby loved them too !! Your look great !!!
Beautiful job – and with homemade jam, oh my! I wish we could have gone blueberry picking this year – somehow, we just didn’t get around to it and here I am facing the end off fall and {gulp} what I’m sure will be a nasty winter without any waiting for me in the freezer to be made into countless reminders of warmer times. Sigh.
please tell your husband I am renaming mine arugula’s as well :).
Blueberry jam – brilliant! I have my own stand of blueberry bushes, but we usually just freeze the berries and eat them in muffins, coffee cakes, pancakes, etc. (This year, my nets were too short and the birds ate them. All.) Next year, I’m making jam, and then I’m making blueberry rugelach!!!