BABKA
challah
cholent in oven
Making the Dough Begin by dissolving the yeast in lukewarm milk together with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Set it aside for a few minutes until the mixture becomes foamy — this shows that the yeast is active.
While the yeast is rising, cream together the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Once the butter and sugar are combined, add the vanilla extract (if using) and mix briefly on low speed. Then add the egg yolks and increase the mixer speed to high. Beat the mixture for about 2 more minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
Reduce the mixer to low speed, and add half of the flour together with 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix just until incorporated. Then pour in the yeast-milk mixture.
When everything is just combined, switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook. Gradually add the remaining flour, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until you achieve a soft, elastic dough. The exact amount of flour may vary, so add it slowly and check the dough’s consistency as you go. The final dough should be soft and supple — not stiff.
As soon as a soft dough forms — one that you can easily lift off the dough hook by hand — transfer it to a lightly floured surface, and knead it several times until you get a smooth dough ball. Do not over-knead.
Place the dough ball into an oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 1–2 hours, or until it has just doubled in size.
Prepare the chocolate filling: in a mixing bowl combine the chopped or grated chocolate, cocoa, and butter. Mix by hand until they come together — the mixture should remain somewhat chunky. Set aside.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle of about 30 × 40 cm.
Evenly sprinkle the chocolate filling over the dough, leaving a 1.5–2 cm border along the edges. Then start from the long side and roll up the dough tightly.
Cut the resulting dough log lengthwise down the middle with a sharp knife, then carefully braid the two strands together so the filling doesn’t spill out.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper, then place the dough into the pan. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 hour, or until the babka completely fills the pan. It will expand sufficiently.
Brush the babka with an egg wash made from 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon of whole milk.
After the dough has risen, bake in a preheated oven at 190 °C for 30 minutes.
While the loaves bake, simmer the sugar and water in a small saucepan — just until the sugar dissolves, then cool to lukewarm. As soon as you remove the loaves from the oven, pour the syrup over them while they are still hot — be sure to distribute the full amount of syrup between the loaves and pour over. Let cool completely, then slice.
Preparation:
Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm, sugared water.
Mix the flour with the eggs, sugar, salt, and oil, then add the activated yeast. Work it together, then add as much water as the dough will take up. Knead until the dough separates from the side of the bowl. If the dough is very sticky, you may add a little flour. (with a mixer, about 5 minutes)
Cover the finished dough and let it rest in a warm place for about half an hour.
When the dough has doubled in size, divide it into as many pieces as the number of loaves you wish to make.
The simplest way to braid is to cut the dough into three equal parts, roll them into long ropes, and braid them together. If you would like to try other braiding methods, Jenő Kémcső and Sára Spatula present five different ones for you in this video.
Brush the top with the beaten whole egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place it into the still cold oven — this makes the dough delicious and light — then bake at 175 °C until golden brown.
Challah
According to Jewish tradition, the essential accompaniment of Friday night and Shabbat is the leavened, braided loaf — the bárhesz, also known as challah. From this dough, 2 large loaves can be made.
Ingredients:
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1/2 kg flour
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1 egg
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30 g fresh yeast, or half a packet of dry yeast
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1 ¼ cups water
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1.5 teaspoons salt
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1/4 cup oil
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1/4 cup sugar
For the top:
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1 egg
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sesame seeds
Cholent Baked in the Oven with Goose Leg
One of the finest dishes of Jewish cuisine is cholent. Although it takes time, it is true that it requires very little work — and the result is wonderfully delicious.
INGREDIENTS
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500 g dried pinto beans
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2 onions
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2 cloves garlic
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1 tbsp goose fat or duck fat
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180 g pearl barley
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2 goose legs (roasted type)
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1 duck breast
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4 bay leaves
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1 tsp marjoram
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1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
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3.5 tsp salt
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1 tsp smoked paprika
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1 tsp sweet paprika
PREPARATION
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Soak the beans the day before in plenty of cold water in a large bowl. During soaking they can triple in size, so you may need to add more water as they swell. Let them soak for at least 10 hours — longer is also fine.
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Preheat the oven to 180 °C (top–bottom heat, no fan). Finely chop the two onions and the garlic cloves. Rinse the pearl barley thoroughly under running water and drain well. Rinse the soaked beans as well and drain them.
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Heat an oven-safe pot. When it is hot enough, place the cleaned goose legs and the duck breast in it, skin-side down, so they release their fat and begin to brown in it. When the goose legs have browned, turn them over to brown the other side as well.
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Transfer the browned meats to a plate — they will still be raw inside; they will become tender and fully cooked later in the oven.
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Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, add a spoonful of goose fat or duck fat to the pot, then add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until they soften slightly and lift the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Scatter one third of the beans over the onions and sprinkle one third of the pearl barley on top. Season with 2 bay leaves, marjoram, and ground black pepper. Cut the duck breast into larger pieces and place half of them on this layer. Add the second third of the beans and the second third of the barley. Salt it, then place the two goose legs and the remaining pieces of meat on top. Cover with the remaining beans and barley.
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Season with ground black pepper and add enough water to just cover everything. Add additional seasoning: bay leaves, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, and salt. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 20 minutes. Cover the pot and place it into the preheated oven at 180 °C to cook for 3 hours.
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After 3 hours, remove the lid and, over high heat at about 200 °C, simmer off the excess liquid for roughly 30 minutes.
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Enjoy!