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Cherry-Cheese Knish

 Every pizza store in my neighborhood growing up sold cherry-cheese knishes along with the requisite potato and kasha, but cherry-cheese were the ones that were most often in my house because they were my fathers favorite. Every Saturday night my father would request one from the pizza store and we had to wait to see which one of us would be the lucky (read: annoyed) one chosen to get it. Often, one of us would have one foot out the door and think we were safe when we would get the missive "one cherry cheese knish please when you get back." You could never escape the cherry- cheese knish run. I have been searching for YEARS for a recipe for these famous cherry-cheese knishes of my youth but to no avail and so I finally had to come up with one on my own. I have to say, they come pretty darn close. The filling has the same not too sweet but bursting with cherry flavor that I remember. The crust though is a little different, not the soft almost soggy crust of yore but slightly crispy and I think the crispiness is a good contrast to the creamy center though after refrigeration they get a similar soft texture to the standard knish. I used a very high quality cherry filling made with 70% percent cherries that I happened to have from a gourmet baking store but you can use any cherry filling or easily make your own from canned or jarred cherries. A bite of these takes me right back to JII pizza on Ave J. Great memories of a great knish. Enjoy!


For the crust:  ( from Smitten Kitchen)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water

In the bottom of your mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, vinegar, oil and water till combined. Add to the mixer and mix on low until a dough is formed. Once the dough is formed let the mixer knead the dough until smooth. Alternatively you can do this by hand in a large bowl. Refrigerate the dough for about an hour. Some oil may seep out as it is resting but re-kneading it a little will fix that.

For the filling:
2 1/4 cups farmer's cheese or  500 grams/ 2 packages of Tuv Taam cheese in Israel
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbl flour + extra for rolling the dough
1 cup cherry filling (homemade or store bought)

1 beaten egg for egg washing the dough


Mix together (either by hand or with a mixer) the farmer's cheese, cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla till combined. Add in the flour and mix until incorporated. Swirl the cherry filling into the mixture. You don't want it to be totally combined, you want to see the contrast of pink and white.

To assemble:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (190C)
Flour a rolling pin and board and roll the dough to form a long rectangle. You want the dough to be pretty thin, just thick enough that it will hold the filling without breaking. Place the mixture along the long side of the rectangle and then roll up the rectangle jellyroll style. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and brush the beaten egg over the dough. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown.







Comments

  1. These look amazing! I cant wait to try this recipe! I tried one for spinach Knishes I found on kimkushner.com/blog last week. These looks so sweet and delicious!

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    Replies
    1. Alan,

      I remember you hanging around the handball courts at Coney Island Houses.

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  2. Hello.
    My father owned Sams' Knishes and Kosher Pizza on Brighton BeCh Ave in Brighton Beach from when it opened in 1968 to when he closed in 1986. We supplied all the kosher pizzerias except for one or two, and including JII in Manhattan, on Ave J, and on Ave M with their knishes, including cherry cheese and blueberry cheese.. After potato, cherry was the most popular, followed by blueberry and then kashe.
    I am happy to inform you that your cheese recipe is very similar to ours. The trick was the vanilla and the lemon.
    By the way, I still live in Brighton Beach :)

    Alan

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    Replies
    1. Hello Alan,
      My wife an I went to visit Coney Island and Brighton Beach yesterday. I do remember Sam's Knishes very well as I worked there when I was a kid. I remember packing the knishes the knishes to be shipped out. Do you remember where exactly it was? I tried to look at all the Russian stores to see which one it could have been, but can't remember. All I remember is that it was closer to the Coney Island Ave side and on the south side of the street. I worked there around 1976.
      Thanks, Jeff jeffvr4@yahoo.com

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    2. I LOVED Sam's Knishes! They had a fire, or more than one fire, yes?

      Arthur

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    3. Hi Alan. Sam's was my favorite even before you moved to Brighton Beach when it was on the Boardwalk in Coney Island next to Larry & Vinnys Pizza!! I also loved the PotatoNick. I am searching the internet now looking where to get a good cherry cheese knish in NY.

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    4. I know the last post here is a year old but if you’re still looking (or anyone else for that matter), Yonah Schimmel’s on Houston St. in Manhattan is the only place I’ve found. I used to get my knishes as a kid at Jerry’s Pizza & Knishes on the Boardwalk around Beach 36th or 39th St. in Far Rockaway. Yonah’s used to be exactly like Jerry’s, just much larger but I order some recently & they didn’t quite taste the same, too much sour cream maybe.

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  3. Thank you Alan! Can you email me at thegushgourmet@gmail.com, I want to ask you a question! thanks!

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  4. I loved Sam's Knishes. Spent many summers in Coney Island at Haas' Bungalows. Snuggled right in between Sam's and Larry and Vinnie's Pizza. They were the best. Recently visited the Boardwalk. Sadly, all is gone. Ate Knishes all the time. The Best!!!! Alan, I think you had a younger sister. Cannot recall her name.

    Flo

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  5. Anybody remember Mrs. Sthal's Kinish's in Brighten Beach? I used to get the cherry cheese kinish.

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    Replies
    1. Yes I remember Mrs. Stahl's. I too lived the cheery cheese kinishes. What years did it close? U used to go there in the 1960's and 1970's. Loved Coney Island cyclone wonder wheel spook-a-rama. Anyone remember the World in Wax Musee and the Magic Carpet fun house? Do I need to mention Nathan's Famous: hot dogs, burgers with onions, shrimp on a bun, crinkle fries, batter dipped onion rings, chow mein on a bun, and clams on the half shell? How many of you went crab reapp7ng off Steeple Chase pier? Those were gewat days at "my Coney Island".

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    2. Do you happen to know where I can get the recipe for her Knishes? I can find the potato, but not the Cherry or blueberry.

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    3. I remember Mrs Stahl's Knishes fondly from summers as a child when family would take me on walks to Brighton Beach from Sheepshead Bay. There are a lot of comments on the Mrs Stahl's Knishes Facebook page from others with memories - I think her family are contactable and who knows, may even be willing to share some of Fannie Stahl's recipes :) https://www.facebook.com/mrsstahlsknishes/

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  6. Ignore my typos you all get my drift. New York City classic food. How many of you drank Rhinegold Extra Dry sometimes accompanied by a shot of Four Roses? Then Nathan's and cherry cheese kinish for dessert.

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  7. Sam's Knishes, after it moved from the boardwalk, was at 504 Brighton Beach Avenue. Sam and Judith were a wonderful couple, so warm and friendly. We were related to them and enjoyed visiting their store, for their company as well as the delcious knishes. It was a special place.

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  8. Hi everyone, I love reading this post. My grandmother made knishes for special occasions when I was growing up and I just loved them so much that I now make my own from her recipe. If anyone is looking for authentic hand made knishes, you can find me at farmers markets in NJ and Rockland County. You can contact me through Facebook at DACHA Fermented Veggies.

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  9. Anyone living in Far Rockaway in the 1950s should remember Jerry's Knishes on the boardwalk. They had cherry-cheese knishes that would melt in your mouth, as well as other sweet varieties!
    Our family would always pick up a dozen at a time...they didn't last!

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    Replies
    1. Do you remember Takee Cup?

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    2. I don't remember 'Takee Cup' but then again I was only 13 when Jerry's & those stores burned down. I do remember the little amusement park on the end of the street right before the boardwalk though.

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