Authors: Tanya Steel

The Epicurious Cookbook (14 page)

rugelach

Traditionally for Jewish holidays, these little pastries are perfect any time. While making rugelach may seem daunting, this recipe gives you helpful tips that cut the time and effort required.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 44 RUGELACH

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup apricot preserves or raspberry jam

1 cup loosely packed golden raisins, chopped

4 ounces shelled walnuts, finely chopped (1¼ cups)

Milk, for brushing cookies

1.
Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Beat together the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, then flatten (in wrap) into a roughly 7 by 5-inch rectangle. Chill until firm, 8 to 24 hours.

2.
Put the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of 2 large shallow baking pans with parchment paper and have 3 additional sheets of parchment ready. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Chill 3 pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and roll out the remaining piece into a 12 by 8-inch rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer the dough to 1 of the parchment-lined pans and chill while rolling out the remaining dough in same manner, transferring each to another sheet of parchment and stacking on top of pan.

3.
Whisk ½ cup sugar with the cinnamon. Arrange one dough rectangle on a work surface with a long side nearest you. Spread ¼ cup preserves evenly over the dough. Sprinkle ¼ cup raisins and a rounded ¼ cup walnuts over the jam, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar.

4.
Using the parchment, roll up the dough tightly into a log. Place seam side down in the second baking pan, then pinch the ends closed and tuck underneath. Make 3 more logs and arrange 1 inch apart. Brush the logs with milk and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining granulated sugar. With a sharp large knife, make ¾-inch-deep cuts crosswise in the dough (not all the way through) at 1-inch intervals. (If dough is too soft to cut, chill 20 to 30 minutes longer.) Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool to warm in the pan on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer the logs to a cutting board and slice the pastries.

“Perfect rugelach recipe, especially the dough. Key is to definitely keep the dough cold—chill overnight and work with only a fourth at a time, and it becomes a snap. I also used a food processor and just threw butter and cream cheese in first, then dry ingredients; pulsed just until it clumps. I used dried cranberries, as I didn’t have raisins, and it was a great twist. I also added some chocolate chips just to take it over the top.”

Juliedbell, Oakland, California

buttermilk panna cotta

This velvety pudding is the brainchild of chef and cookbook author Sara Foster; and like many of her recipes, it’s a masterpiece of simple goodness that needs no extra bells or whistles. But it’s amenable to a variety of sauces and toppings. Try soaking the fresh berries in port to make a memorable dessert.

YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons water

1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin

Nonstick vegetable-oil spray

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

½ cup sugar

2 cups buttermilk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Assorted frozen berries (such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries), thawed

Special equipment: 6 (¾-cup) ramekins or custard cups

1.
Pour the 2 tablespoons water into a small bowl; sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand until the gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Lightly spray 6 (¾-cup) ramekins or custard cups with nonstick spray.

2.
Heat the cream, lemon peel, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring just to a low boil, stirring occasionally. Add the gelatin mixture; remove from the heat. Stir until gelatin dissolves. Cool mixture to lukewarm, stirring often. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla; divide the mixture among prepared ramekins. Refrigerate the panna cotta until set, about 4 hours.

3.
Using a small sharp knife, cut around the panna cotta in each ramekin. Place a plate atop each ramekin and invert, allowing the panna cotta to settle onto the plate. Top with berries and serve chilled.

“The texture and flavor are perfect. I don’t bother unmolding, and just served with fresh berries on top. Sometimes I substitute the cream with an equal part of milk. The result tastes just as good but the texture is slightly less silky. It’s also easy to overheat the milk, so more care must be taken.”

A cook, Boston, Massachusetts

do ahead:

The
PANNA COTTA
(through step 2) can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

carrot
cake ice cream

Here’s a gluten-free ice cream from Epicurious member
Lorelei Lee
of Philadelphia, complete with the taste of
carrot cake. A cooling treat, this dish is perfect for a sunny day. Cream cheese, sugar, and milk provide the backbone for the simple dish, while cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and shredded carrot give it that carrot cake feel. Like most homemade ice creams, this dessert should be eaten within a few days.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART

1¾ cups whole milk

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ teaspoons lemon juice

1 medium carrot, coarsely grated (about ½ cup)

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Special equipment: 1-quart ice-cream maker

1.
In a medium pot over moderate heat, combine ½ cup milk with the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and simmer until the sugar dissolves.

2.
In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth. Add the warm milk mixture and whisk until the cream cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the vanilla, lemon juice, carrots, and salt. Cover and chill the ice cream base until cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

3.
Process the base in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hard, about 3 hours.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

salted caramel ice cream

Inspired by Brittany’s traditional salted caramel candies, this is a knockout ice cream. If you’ve never made caramel before, be prepared for what will seem like violent splattering when the cream is added to the hot, melted sugar. Relax—this is normal and subsides quickly. The other crucial moment comes when you slowly add the steamy milk mixture to the eggs. If curdling does occur, simply strain the mixture to ensure the smoothest possible custard.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART

1¼ cups sugar

2¼ cups heavy cream

½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

Special equipment: 1-quart ice-cream maker

1.
Heat 1 cup sugar in a dry 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling the skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber.

2.
Add 1¼ cups cream (mixture will spatter) and cook, stirring, until all of caramel has dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the sea salt and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

3.
Meanwhile, bring the milk, remaining 1 cup cream, and remaining ¼ cup sugar just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally.

4.
Lightly whisk the eggs in a medium bowl, then add half of the hot milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back of a spoon and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer (do not let boil). Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, then stir in the cooled caramel.

5.
Chill the custard, stirring occasionally, until very cold, 3 to 6 hours. Freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions (it will still be quite soft). Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and put in the freezer to firm up.

“I liked how it tasted when I added more salt, but remember that the more salt you add, the longer the ice cream takes to set in the freezer. It helps to chill the custard in the fridge overnight before freezing it in the machine and develops the flavors nicely, too! It is divine topped with candied bacon.”

Gramercygirl305,
New York, New York

Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Blueberry Swirl

lemon ice cream sandwiches
with blueberry swirl

Ice cream sandwiches are hard to hate, especially this one. What can be wrong with a dessert that combines sweet blueberries, tart lemon ice cream, and buttery blondie-like cookies? Store-bought vanilla ice cream gets a flavor lift with the addition of lemon juice and zest, plus an easy (as in three minutes’ prep time) blueberry compote.

YIELD: MAKES 8 SERVINGS

FOR LEMON ICE CREAM

2 pints premium vanilla ice cream

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

FOR BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

2 cups blueberries (10 ounces)

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 (3 by 2½-inch) strips lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

FOR SANDWICH LAYERS