The next delicious recipe we have to share from Petra's stunning new book: Butter, Butter More is more.

I ate my very first rugelach at Sherman’s Deli in Palm Springs many moons ago and it’s been a long-standing love affair ever since. Yiddish for ‘little twists’, these pastries originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and are found in every bakery across Israel. Originally made using a yeasted dough, the cream cheese addition was an American contribution in the 1940s and, although I like to think of myself as more of a classic kind of girl, this is a twist I will gladly accept. It gives the dough a delicious tangy richness as well as making it really soft, pliable and easy to work with. You can really play around with flavours here. For a lighter, simpler option, swap out the chocolate filling for your favourite jam or marmalade. They can also be filled with frangipane and dried fruit — anything goes.

INGREDIENTS

Vanilla Sugar Syrup
100 g (3½ oz) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
100 ml (3½ fl oz) water

Cream Cheese Pastry 
170 g (6 oz) butter, room temperature
140 g (5 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
400 g (14 oz) plain flour
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of flaky salt 

Chocolate Filling
55 g (2 oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
55 g (2 oz) butter
30 g (1 oz) cocoa
30 g (1 oz) icing sugar
zest of 2 oranges
½ teaspoon sea salt 

METHOD

For the Vanilla Sugar Syrup, combine all the ingredients in a small pot over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for 3–4 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To make the Cream Cheese Pastry, combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer set up with the paddle attachment. Cream together until smooth; about 2–3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on a low speed until a shaggy dough comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured bench and bring together with your hands, working the dough until it is velvety and smooth. Flatten into a rectangle, about 2 cm (¾ in) thick, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the pastry is resting, get onto the filling. Combine the chocolate and butter in a small pot and stir over a low-medium heat until fully melted. Remove from the heat and stir through all the remaining ingredients, mixing well until combined. Allow to cool; the mixture will firm up as the temperature decreases. We are looking for a spreadable thick consistency. To speed this up, pour the filling into a shallow bowl or tray and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes. Grease and line two large oven trays.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and place onto a lightly floured bench. Roll out to a large rectangle measuring 45 cm x 30 cm (18 in x 12 in). Spread the filling evenly over the pastry using a palette knife, going right to the edges. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry in half lengthways. Working with one half at a time, cut into triangles or wedges, with the base measuring approximately 5 cm (2 in). We are wanting to get 9 rugelach out of each half. Repeat this process with the remaining piece of pastry until you have 18 triangles. Don’t worry if you have less than this; that only means you have slightly bigger rugelach, which is never a bad thing! Starting with the longest end, roll each triangle of pastry up so you have what looks like a miniature croissant.

Place the completed rugelach on the prepared baking trays, cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 175°C (335°F) fan-bake. Bake the rugelach for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with the sugar syrup. Allow to cool on the baking trays before serving.