Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach

Carrying on from last weeks post, this traditional Jewish cookie is made using the same rolled pastry, but with a beautiful chocolate hazelnut filling that oozes when dehydrated. These are so easy to make and keep really well. So if you’re making them around the holidays, you can do so a few days ahead of time and then just warm them for 1 hour or so in the dehydrator before serving.

Perfect for a Sunday brunch, perhaps the day after Christmas, these little cookies are reminiscent of croissants. You can fill them with any kind of chocolate and nut/seed based spread or some raw jam, and serve with a glass of dairy free milk or hot cocoa. A real treat for the Holiday season… or anytime! 🙂

Flakey Pastry Dough

Wet
115g ( ½ cup ) water
15g ( ⅛ cup ) cold pressed sesame or nut oil
75g ( ¼ cup ) honey, runny and clear
75g ( ½ cup ) cashews, soaked and rinsed

15g ( ¼ cup ) psyllium husk
Small handful candied or activated hazelnuts

Dry
45g ( ⅓ cup ) oat flour + more for rolling
60g ( ½ cup ) ground almonds
25g ( 1 ½ tbsp ) coconut flour

Method

• Blend the first set of ingredients until smooth.

• Add the psyllium and nuts and pulse to break the nuts down to a crumble and the to incorporate the psyllium.

• Mix the last set of ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

• Add the contents of the blender and mix well with your hands until it comes together.

• Allow it to set up while you make the chocolate filling.

Chocolate Hazelnut Filling

25g ( ⅛ cup ) hazelnut butter
35g ( 1 oz ) cacao paste, melted
40g ( ⅛ cup ) maple or honey
½ tsp tamari

Method

• Combine the first set of ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.

• Put to the side while you roll the dough.

For Assembly

Pastry Dough

Oat flour for dusting

Chocolate Hazelnut Filling

Handful of candied or activated hazelnuts

Handful of cacao paste, shaved to shards

Method for Assembly

• Lightly dust your hands with oat flour and roll the pastry dough into a ball.

• Place it on a Teflex sheet or wax paper and place another piece on top.

• Roll the dough out to ⅛ inch thick large round.

• Evenly spread all the chocolate hazelnut filling on the surface of the dough.

• Using a dampened chef knife, cut the dough 4 – 6 times into pizza slice like wedges. Clean and re-wet the knife between slices.

• Sprinkle the top with the candied or activated hazelnuts and shaved cacao paste. Don’t over do it. Just a light sprinkle.

• Starting from the wider end of the slice, roll the dough up to the tip and then place each piece on a Teflex lined dehydrator tray.

• Once all are rolled and on the tray, dry it for 8 hours on Teflex and then transfer to mesh and dry further 8 hours or until the dough is dry all round.

• Serve from the dehydrator or warm up prior to serving. These will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days, simply warm in the dehydrator for 30 mins-1 hour when ready to eat them.