Nutella Babka

By Shannon Sarna for The Nosher

I didn’t grow up baking or even eating babka. Coffee cake, definitely. Banana bread was a staple. But babka just wasn’t something around. When I did finally taste babka as a teenager, I was like: where have you been all my life!? Chocolatey, chewy and slightly gooey – it was a perfect Shabbat morning breakfast treat with a cup of tea or coffee.

Recently I’ve been itching to recreate babka at home. I mean, I bake challah every week – why shouldn’t I tackle babka? But, it was harder than I thought. I tried the recipe from Jerusalem. And it was great. But not quite what I was hoping to create.

And then I came across two other recipes: one from Orly Ziv’s Cook in Israel and one from a blog I came across on Instagram: Ba-Li cravings.

My recipe is really a combination of Orly’s genius idea to stuff a babka with nutella, Ba-li’s tried-and-true dough which I have updated only slightly and a technique from Jerusalem that ensures that ooey gooey babka taste and texture we all crave.

This recipe is easily pareve-erized. (Yes, you can make this nondairy.) You can either buy a nondairy hazelnut spread or you can also make your own using a recipe like this one.

It’s perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea of coffee. Or if you’re like my daughter, you will just dig right in.

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Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Dip

By Yosef Silver for The Nosher

No matter how much I plan or prep, I find myself in a pre-dinner panic almost every time we host. I’m opening and closing the fridge, wondering if I’ll actually have enough food. No one has ever gone hungry at my table and there’s always plenty of variety so surprise allergies or unannounced vegetarians are never a concern.

That said, I’ve built an arsenal of “quick extras” that I can add to almost any menu. Anything from roasted chickpeas, grilled polenta or this eggplant dip which reassure me there will be enough food.

This roasted eggplant and garlic dip is quick, and when you serve it in the skin of the eggplant, it looks beautiful and impressive on the table. All of the ingredients are things that I typically have in the fridge, so when I get a last minute “can we bring two friends to dinner?” phone call, I never have to say no.

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A Love for Flavor, Straight from the IDF

by Tamar Fox for Jewniverse

During his stint in the Israeli Defense Forces Lior Lev Sercarz was once responsible for frying 200 pieces of schnitzel on a propane stove while Lebanese rockets flew overhead. Perhaps because he got his start cooking while under fire, Sercarz developed a fascination with spices. Not the powders you buy in the grocery store: searches the globe for the most pure and intense flavors, and at La Boîte, his New York City shop on an industrial strip, he combines them into spice mixes that trigger the deepest and most mysterious places in your brain.

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Double Chocolate Chip Challah

By Shannon Sarna for The Nosher

I always say that I loathe Passover, but there is a part of me that also enjoys it. Or at the very least, appreciates its value. It’s a week where we are challenged to be even more thoughtful about the food we eat and where it comes from. And it’s almost like our own version of a Spring cleanse. Bye-bye carbs, hello vegetables and creative use of potatoes. I do feel lighter after a week without bread and pasta, despite my bitching and moaning all the way through. And believe me, my husband can vouch for my constant kvetching.

But the time has come to indulge in some carbs once again, and I can’t wait to get back to my Friday routine of baking challah with my daughter.

And do you know what’s better than challah? Chocolate chip challah. And perhaps even better than chocolate chip challah? Double chocolate chip challah laced with cinnamon, vanilla and dark cocoa powder.

I swear by Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder and highly recommend you keep it stocked for cookies, cakes and sometimes even challah.

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