Israeli Chocolate Cheese Rugelach

I call these rugelach Israeli, not because they are a traditional Israeli recipe (they’re actually a cheat and use puff pastry baked in the U.S. but a company called Aussie Bakery!) but because I used Israeli milk chocolate in the filling. Blended with Laughing Cow cream cheese, it became a rich, creamy cookie filling that was easy to make! I also sprinkled the insides of the cookies with coconut and cranberries, rolled them into spirals, baked and for a final touch, drizzled them with more Israeli chocolate.

While I myself was lukewarm about these cookies, my parents loved them! My mom became so obsessed after her first taste that she demanded I put the rest in the freezer for safekeeping, and was sure that she – and not my dad – was privy to the knowledge of exactly where in our cluttered freezer I’d stashed them. I found I preferred the cookies after they’d been frozen for a day, not warming them beyond a slight defrosting so they stayed cold and firm.

While this recipe may not taste exactly like traditional rugelach, it is tasty and easy. If you like, use Israeli milk chocolate as I did, or try it with dark chocolate. Feel free to mix up the extra add-ins I sprinkled on – try nuts for extra fiber, or pomegranate arils for a true taste of Israel!

Israeli Chocolate Cheese Rugelach

based on recipe from Good Housekeeping

makes 12

Ingredients:

pastry

• 1 9×9 sheet frozen puff pastry (I used Aussie Bakery brand)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp water
• 2 tsp Truvia baking blend
• small dash of cinnamon

filling

• 1/3 of a bar (8 squares) of Israeli milk chocolate (I used Elite brand)
• 2 Laughing Cow brand Creamy Swiss cheese wedges
• 2 tbs dried cranberries
• 2 tbs sweetened flaked coconut

topping

• 1/6 bar of Israeli milk chocolate (4 squares)
• 1/2 tsp water

Directions:

1. Thaw frozen puff pastry according to directions on package.
2. Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit.
3. In a small bowl, beat together the egg white and 1 tsp water.
4. In a separate small bowl, mix together 2 tsp Truvia and a dash of cinnamon.
5. Cut the puff pastry sheet into three equal long rectangles.
6. Place 8 squares of Israeli chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in microwave.
7. Add Laughing Cow cheese to chocolate. Gently blend.
8. Spread the chocolate/cheese mixture on each of the puff pastry rectangles, leaving some plain space at all the edges.
9. Sprinkle dried cranberries and coconut on top of chocolate filling.
10. Roll each rectangle up like a jelly roll to create a long spiraling tube. Use a sharp knife to cut each tube into four smaller sections.
11. Brush each cookie with the egg/water mixture, then sprinkle with the Truvia/cinnamon mixture.
12. Bake at 375 Fahrenheit for 13-17 minutes.
13. To make chocolate drizzle topping: Melt 4 squares of chocolate on the stovetop with a few drops of water. Blend well. When cookies have somewhat cooled, drizzle this topping evenly on each cookie.
14. Store in the freezer and enjoy cold.