Jewish Pastries To Master

 As you’ll observe with any kosher tour, Jewish cuisine has a long and complex history that varies from region to region, country to country, and continent to continent. One important aspect of Jewish cuisine is the pastries, and different locations around the world each have their own special pastry connected to a long-held tradition.

Despite the varied nature of these delicacies, they are actually possible to recreate in your own home kitchen! 

Rugelach

An absolute classic among Jewish Americans, rugelach is delightfully buttery, flakey pastry filled with sweet jam, mostly fruit or chocolate. Traditionally linked to the Viennese pastry Kipfel, it was originally filled with nuts and/or seed paste when it was originally created in Poland. Today, lots of different spins on it are popular especially during the holiday season, with flavors varying from cinnamon, apricot preserves, and even seasonal products like cherry.

Hamantaschen

Known to originate in Israel, Hamantaschen is another dried fruit and/or sweet jam-filled treat that is typically enjoyed on the Jewish holiday known as Purim, which is significant in marking the  Persian Jewish population escaping genocide. Again, similar to Rugelach, it is typically filled with seed paste, particularly Poppy seed paste. Today, it is widely enjoyed as a special cookie that’s well known to be named after the historical character of Haman, owing to his three-cornered hat.

Babka

Babkas are a widely enjoyed rich and eggy bread that’s often cited as originating from Eastern Europe, namely Ukraine, although the name “babka” literally translates to “grandma” in Polish. A popular bakery choice along with cinnamon buns, Babkas are often chocolate-filled, although it’s common to find experimental recipes opting for fillings like Speculoos and Nutella to suit the more modern palate.

Matzo Cake

Matzo cake is another well-loved dessert among Jewish families, especially popular during Passover as it consists of several layers of flat bread free of any leavening agents. It is also well-known to be a dessert that’s easy to make, since you’ll simply be layering the matzo. These days, many recipe developers add sophisticated elements such as dark chocolate and kosher wine to bring this old-school favorite to new heights.

While European kosher travel is still out of the question for most of us, there is still so much you can do to further explore your culinary heritage at home! Try out these fantastic dessert recipes and enjoy the wonderful world of Jewish pastries.