The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home
Page 23
Chocolate Babka
Makes 2 loaves
Picture how sweet and delicious a well-made cinnamon roll can be, then imagine an entire swirly cinnamon loaf with the filling supplemented by dark, oozy, bittersweet chocolate. That is chocolate babka, loosely translated from Yiddish as “grandmother’s cake.” Quality ingredients are essential for babka to brag about. It begins with freshly made challah dough, enhanced with a little extra brown sugar. For the filling, we recommend Ceylon true cinnamon (as compared to cassia, which is commonly substituted for the real stuff on grocery store shelves), with its subtle flavor and distinctive citrus note (see Sources and Resources). The chocolate should be top-notch, too. Avoid standard bagged chocolate chips, in which the natural cocoa butter is often replaced by hydrogenated oil. Instead, use a premium brand of chips or buttons (also called coins or, in French, pistoles) for best flavor and texture.
1 recipe Sweet Challah Dough
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and hot, plus more for greasing the pans
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
All-purpose flour, for dusting
½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips or buttons
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water
When the Sweet Challah Dough is just about fully risen, lightly grease two 9-inch loaf pans with butter. Set aside.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Turn the fully risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat the dough to expel excess gas. Divide it in half. Return half of the dough to the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Set it aside while you work with the other half.
Dust a rolling pin and the top of the dough with flour and roll it out to a 9 by 18-inch rectangle about ⅛ inch thick. Cut the dough in half crosswise to create two 9-inch squares of dough.
Add the hot melted butter to the cocoa mixture and stir to form a thick paste. Use an offset frosting knife or rubber spatula to spread about one-quarter of the paste on each square of dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips over each square of dough. Brush the edges with some of the egg
wash. Working quickly so the egg wash doesn’t dry out, roll up each square of dough into a tight log, beginning with the edge closest to you and rolling away from you. Pinch the seams and ends together to prevent the logs from falling apart. Twist the logs together, placing one over the other alternately, 3 times, then gently press together the ends of the two logs to secure. Transfer the twist to one of the prepared pans, tucking the ends under as needed to fit it into the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set aside. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough and the remaining filling ingredients to make the second loaf. (If the cocoa paste is too firm to spread, it can be warmed in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds on high power to soften it up.) Reserve the remaining egg wash.
Place both the covered pans in a warm place to rise until they are puffy and, when you gently press a finger into the dough, the impression remains, 30 to 45 minutes. (After the dough rises, the babkas can be refrigerated overnight and baked the following day. Allow them to come to room temperature in a warm spot for about 1 hour before baking.)
While the babkas are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
When the loaves are fully risen, uncover them and brush the top of each liberally with the remaining egg wash. Bake the babkas until they are deeply browned and glossy, 50 minutes to 1 hour, rotating the pans in the oven halfway through the baking time. To check the babkas for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the seam formed by one of the twists at the thickest part of the loaf. The temperature should be about 190°F.
After removing the fully baked loaves from the oven, run a table knife around the edges of the pans to free the loaves, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing so that the loaves have set up, but are still slightly warm to the touch.
The babka will keep, covered at room temperature, for 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 days. Once the babka becomes a little stale, it can be used to make exceptional French toast (see here).
Challah Sticky Buns
Makes 12 buns
Are these buns traditional? Heck, no (well, except for the challah part). Are they delicious? You bet they are, and that’s key to the unshackled approach taken in the modern Jewish deli. Just because it wasn’t served in 1930 doesn’t mean it has no place at today’s table. A pan of these sticky buns, made with real maple syrup, is the perfect morning sweet treat to serve a houseful of guests along with their morning cup of coffee. Assemble the buns at night and bake them first thing the next day. Since they rise big and tall, it is important to use a large, deep roasting pan for baking. And try to find grade B maple syrup for the deepest, richest maple flavor. Grade A dark amber is the next best thing.
Filling
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Topping
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
2 cups chopped pecans, lightly toasted
3 pounds (approximately) Sweet Challah Dough
All-purpose flour, for dusting
To make the filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Beat the mixture on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Transfer the filling mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
To make the topping, place the butter, brown sugar, and salt in a clean bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the mixture on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the maple syrup. Continue beating the mixture until it is homogeneous and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Spread the topping mixture on the bottom of a deep 15- to 16-inch roasting pan with sides that are at least 2½ inches high. Sprinkle the pecans over the top and set aside.
Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust a rolling pin and the top of the dough with flour and roll it out to a 10 by 22-inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Position the dough so that the long edges are parallel to the edge of the work surface. Gently pull at the corners of the dough to square them off. Use an offset frosting knife or rubber spatula to spread the filling over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on the long edge that is furthest away from you. Starting from the long edge of the dough that is closest to you, roll the dough up into a tight log, using pressure from your fingers and hands to tuck and tighten as you roll. If the ends of the log are tapered, pat them in so that the log is about 24 inches long and 3 inches in diameter throughout. Use a tape measure and a sharp knife to score the log into 2-inch-thick buns, and then cut the buns. Re-shape them into round rolls and space them out, 3 by 4, over the topping in the pan. There should be about 1 inch of space between each bun.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and set the buns in a warm spot to rise until they are puffy and increased in size by about half, 30 minutes to 1 hour. (The time will depend on room temperature.) Refrigerate the rolls, covered, for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
Remove the buns from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature in a warm spot, covered, for about 1 hour. Before baking, they should be touching, or almost touching, and when you press your finger into the do
ugh, the depression should spring back very slowly.
Preheat the oven to 350°F about 30 minutes before baking. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the buns until they are deep golden brown on top and the center registers 180°F to 185°F on an instant-read thermometer, 40 to 45 minutes. Allow the buns to cool until the caramel has stopped bubbling, about 5 minutes, and then turn the buns out of the pan. Do this by running a table knife around the edges of the pan, and then invert the buns onto a large serving platter or a rimmed baking sheet. Serve the sticky buns warm.
The buns will keep, covered at room temperature, for 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Reheat the buns at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes before serving.
Apple Cake
Makes one 8- or 9-inch cake
An ancient cultivar, the apple has a time-honored place in the foods of many cultures. In Jewish cooking, apples are used in such holiday specialties as charoset, a spiced fruit-nut relish first served by Ashkenazis on Passover, or simply sliced and dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah. The symbolic reference in both cases is to the sweetness of life. Apple cake is yet another sweet treat among the range of Jewish baked goods. The recipe calls for Golden Delicious apples, though any softer, sweet variety will suffice. Vietnamese cinnamon (see Sources and Resources) is worth seeking out for its particularly potent flavor and aroma, a shining match with apples.
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
2⅓ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan
4 large eggs, beaten
⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Sift together the flour, 1⅔ cups of the sugar, the baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are just combined.
In a separate large bowl, mix together the remaining ⅔ cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Add the apples and gently stir until they are evenly coated with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Lightly grease an 8- to 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet (in case it leaks). Pour in half of the cake batter and spread it out to the edges of the pan in an even layer. Scatter half of the apples evenly over the batter. Repeat to create another layer of batter topped with the remaining apples.
Bake the cake until the top layer of apples is deeply browned and leathery and when a table knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Rotate the pan in the oven about halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.
Allow the cake to cool completely before serving. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to separate the cake from the pan, then remove the springform. Serve at room temperature. The cake will keep at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.
Cheesecake with Shortbread Crust
Makes one 9- or 10-inch cake
The accidental creation of cream cheese in 1872 led to a cheesecake revolution in New York City Jewish delicatessens. By the late 1930s, cheesecake with a graham cracker crumb crust had become the defining deli dessert. Our updated version relies on a sweetened short dough crust, which is every bit as delicious as one made from graham crackers. The most common question among novice cheesecake bakers is: How do you know when it’s fully baked? The answer: It’s done when the edges show just a hint of golden color and the center is still very jiggly. The center will set as it slowly cools, at first in the oven, then at room temperature. A browned top is undesirable, as it’s a sure sign the cheesecake is overdone and will be dry as a bone.
Crust
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, plus more for greasing the pan
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
Filling
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, preferably Gina Marie brand, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 cups (1½ pounds) sour cream
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
To make the crust, place the butter, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the mixture together on medium speed until the sugar is absorbed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour and continue mixing just until incorporated and the mixture is still dry and crumbly. Press the dough into the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until it is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 300°F.
To make the filling, place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat it on medium-low speed until it is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix until it is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the sour cream, and continue mixing to combine. With the mixer running, add the eggs, 1 or 2 at a time, mixing just until they are blended in before each new addition. Finally, add the vanilla and continue mixing just until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
Coat the sides of the springform pan with butter and place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet (in case it leaks). Pour the filling into the pan to cover the crust and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cheesecake until the edges are set but still pale in color and the center is still jiggly and appears underdone, 60 to 75 minutes. Turn off the oven. Wedge a wooden spoon in the oven door to crack it open and leave the cheesecake inside for at least 1 hour. (Cooling the cake very slowly in the oven will prevent the top from cracking.)
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to continue cooling at room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, making sure that the foil does not come into contact with the surface of the cake, and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
The cheesecake tastes the best when it is cool but not cold, so remove it from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving. Place the pan on a serving platter. Run a blunt knife between the edge of the cake and the pan to release it, and then remove the springform. Cut the cake into slices and serve. The cake will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
Sweet Noodle Kugel
Serves 12 to 16
This is a classic sweet kugel recipe, with raisins, cinnamon, and sugar joining the noodles and customary ensemble of dairy ingredients. The abundance of beaten eggs helps keep the finished product from being overly dense. This dish also ranks high on the simplicity scale, with all the ingredients combined in a single large pot before the kugel mixture is transferred to a baking dish, then the oven.
Cooking spray
18 ounces wide egg noodles (about 1½ packages)
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
3 cups small-curd cottage cheese
3 cups sour cream
¾ cup raisins
½ cup milk
6 large eggs, beaten
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Fill a large pot with about 5 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the egg noodles and cook until they are just underdone, about 5 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander, shaking to remove excess wate
r, and then transfer the noodles back into the dry pot. Add the ½ cup butter and stir to melt. Allow the noodles to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cottage cheese, sour cream, raisins, milk, eggs, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Add about half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture to the noodle mixture. Pour the noodle mixture into the baking dish and spread it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the top of the kugel with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and dot it with the remaining 2 tablespoons cubed butter. Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet (in case of overflow) and bake until the kugel is set in the center and brown and crunchy on top, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Allow the kugel to cool about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Store the leftover kugel in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a drizzle of milk to the top of the kugel and bake it at 350°F, covered, until heated through. (The cooking time depends on how much kugel you are reheating.)
Celery Soda
Serves 4
Celery-flavored soda has to be the most unusual of the sharp-tasting specialty drinks crafted to quench the thirst of Jewish deli diners. Making its first appearance in New York City in the late 1800s, Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray is the brand name synonymous with celery soda. But good luck finding it outside New York or maybe Miami. The key ingredient in most celery soda is celery seed, which gives the beverage a slightly bitter, earthy flavor. The lemon and fresh celery in our rendition makes for a more vibrant, summery taste. Try it with a corned beef, Swiss cheese, and chopped liver sandwich or on its own during the next heat wave.