Fleishigs Magazine Issue 007 - May/Jun 2019

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Fleishig

CONTENTS

8 19

10

EDITOR'S LETTER

INTERVIEW Chef Yos Schwartz

30 32

BAKING WITH TAHINI

Transforming the notably savory ingredient into one of the best desserts, period.

16

SOUTH BEACH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL DOES SHABBOS

46

The future of Friday night dinner is served.

TRAVEL: SOUTH BEACH

TOP 5 FOOD DESTINATIONS Kosher Guru shares his favorite pastries.

35

MASTER PAREVE BAKING WITH PAULA SHOYER

44

MARGARINE, OR MARGA-NISHT? A pareve food friend or foe?

58

COOKBOOK REVIEW Food You Want For The Life You Crave by Nealy Fischer

70

COOKIE DOUGH: 4 WAYS There are so many ways for the cookie to crumble.

A SHAVUOS SPREAD WITH ITALIAN HERITAGE

74

The ultimate Shavuos inspiration from a legendary dinner at Noi Due Carne.

60

CULINARY SCHOOL: SAVORY BREADS

HOW TO BABKA The only guide you’ll need from babka queen Naomi Elberg.

80

SHAPE UP Shaping up our babka skills.

90

MARNIE’S CHALLAH DOUGH The only challah recipe you'll ever need.

Chef Isaac Bernstein's guide to no-knead dough will have you coming back for more.

GE

MALKIE GORDON HIRSCH is a self-taught pastry aficionado knocking out stunning letter cakes, tarts and strawberry shortcakes that dreams are made of. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @kissthekoshercook and look out for her baking tips throughout this issue.

GUEST EDITOR

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editor's letter

S H AV U OS I S SU E

"ARE YOU GOING DAIRY?"

EDITOR IN CHIEF Shifra Klein CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Shlomo Klein

L

ast August when we were planning the Fleishigs Magazine launch, one of the first questions Shloimy (my husband and partner) asked me was, "Are we going dairy for Shavuos?” Ironically, this is the most common question we were asked over and over again. In honor of April Fools Day, a fellow graphic designer even designed a Milchigs Magazine cover that was spot-on. This prompted an explosion of excitement and reaction from many who were quite excited to see how Fleishigs will go Milchigs.

inspires every issue. This month we bring you our live article from the epic dinner we hosted at Noi Due Carne (see An Italian Shavuos Feast pg. 46) and detailed stepby-step guides such as how to shape babka like a professional (pgs. 76, 78). This is the issue where we provide a complete guide to pareve baking. Experts like Paula Shoyer, Naomi Elberg and Chef Isaac Bernstein cover a wide range of topics from sweet to savory, substitutions, easy staple doughs and recipes that will blow your mind and change the way you bake forever.

When we took polls on social media, the results were mixed and we had amazing suggestions from our readers about how best to approach our Shavuos conundrum.

And if you’ve gotta have your Michigsinspired-by-Fleishigs fix on Shavuos, make a cheese pizza using Chef Isaac’s No-Knead Dough (pg. 62), use butter in Naomi's No-Fail Babka Dough (pg. 75) or use dairy cream cheese in the Cherry Cheesecake Babka (pg. 77). Everything is adaptable and I am extremely excited with how this issue turned out.

My response to Shavuos, however, has remained staunchly consistent. What I told Shloimy at the time is what I write here to all of you as you hold this amazing baking issue in your hands. We are sticking to our brand principles and not doing an issue devoted strictly to dairy. But what we are doing is much more valuable.

The truth is, most people only do one or two dairy meals; while they are great cause for celebration (believe me, we have some exciting menu ideas for our own personal Shavuos meals), the rest of Shavuos is meat-focused and we’ve got you covered with inspiration and menus from Noi Due Carne and the talented chefs who prepared an epic Friday night meal for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, as well as Chef Isaac’s Modern Heimish column.

Bitayavon, Shifra

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DESIGN estudio-5.com PRODUCTION estudio-5.com PHOTOGRAPHER Schneur Menaker FOOD STYLIST Shifra Klein TEST KITCHEN MANAGER Marnie Levy MARKETING & BRANDING Mann Sales Co. TEST KITCHEN SPONSOR Gourmet Glatt RABBINICAL AUTHORITY www.ok.org

Comments & Questions: Hello@fleishigs.com Advertising & Partnerships: Shlomo@fleishigs.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

Fleishigs magazine assumes no responsibility for content or kashrut of articles and advertisements in the magazine, or for the content of books. Fleishigs magazine is not responsible for typographical errors.

Thank you to Fishseddy.com for providing many of the beautiful dishes used to photograph recipes for this issue. Visit www.fishseddy.com or Fishseddy the store at 889 Broadway at 19th Street in NYC for flatware, dining ware, kitchenware, silverware, linens and more.

Tried one of our recipes? Let us know! @Fleishigsmag

PROOFREADER Shterna Karp

www.fleishigs.com

P.S. We will also be sharing an exclusive collection of new recipes and a complete cheese guide to our loyal subscribers via email. Sign up today at www.fleishigs.com.

This issue is PACKED with content. If I overplanned one issue, this would be it and I don’t think anyone will complain. The general approach to planning our issues is considering what content the kosher cook won’t find elsewhere in one solid, trustworthy place. This thought process

Hello@fleishigs.com

EDITOR Elisheva Taitz

@Fleishigsmag

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TIMATE TE A UL

CO

F F E E DI P

PE

Baking with R.

O

R

BY SHIFRA KLEIN

Tahini With the popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine, sesame paste has gained fame worldwide as the indisputably savory, nutty, creamy, rich ingredient that can be used on anything and everything from falafel and shawarma, to salad dressings and sauces, even in desserts.

Sesame paste as a baking ingredient has been gaining popularity recently, but in reality has been used in Middle Eastern desserts as a magical pastry staple for hundreds of years.

The most common pastry utilizing tahini is a shortbread-like cookie in which tahini adds a pop of nutty flavor that makes this the ultimate tea or coffee dipper.

After enjoying these cookies in Israel for years and inspired

by Orly Ziv’s halva chocolate babka (from her book Cook in Israel), I began experimenting with sweet tahini preparations. I started to enjoy tahini in its most pure form and appreciate the depth of flavor this one ingredient holds. This process produced one of my most accomplished but simplest recipes, a 2-ingredient tahini caramel.

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TAHINI

Yes! Two simple, powerhouse ingredients combine together without any cooking to create the most luscious, magnificent, silkysmooth caramel ever. No one will ever believe how easy it is to make.

You can use the caramel as a topping for ice cream, mixed with apples in an apple crumble or in the most epic cinnamon buns ever! I used the caramel to create my version of sticky buns, but instead of brown sugar and butter, I used tahini and silan - the two ingredients you will need to make this delicious caramel-like syrup in minutes.

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TAHINI

Tahini Sticky Buns

There are three ways to approach this recipe.

1.

2.

3.

Make a classic, more bread-like cinnamon bun by skipping the step of spreading the tahini caramel on the bottom of the baking dish. Make the tahini cream cheese frosting and frost buns.

dd the tahini caramel A to the bottom of the baking pan and skip the cream cheese frosting.

These buns are the best twist on the classic cinnamon buns you will encounter. Every time you use tahini, make sure to mix thoroughly to get the most flavor. Silan is date honey and is widely available in glass jars or squeeze bottles.

Makes: 12 buns

DOUGH: Half of No-Fail Babka Dough recipe (pg.75)

TAHINI CARAMEL: 1 cup pure tahini paste 2 cups silan

FILLING: ½ cup tahini caramel 1 cup pure tahini 2 ½ cups brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon sea salt

TAHINI FROSTING: or the richest version: add F the caramel to the bottom of the pan and frost the buns with the tahina frosting.

1 (8-oz) container non-dairy

cream cheese ½ cup pure tahini 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

DOUGH: Follow recipe on pg. 75 and use half the dough for this recipe. Or, you can also simply halve the recipe.

CARAMEL: Whisk the tahini and silan until combined.

Set aside until ready to use.

If it gets too thick, add 1 tablespoon of boiling hot water to loosen.

FILLING: Combine all the ingredients.

Set aside.

MAKE THE BUNS: Preheat oven to 350°F. Reserve ½ cup of tahini caramel and set aside.

Roll out dough into a thin rectangular shape about 24-inches long by 10-14-inches wide. Spread tahini caramel (aside from the reserved ½ cup) evenly over the surface of the dough. Top with filling.

Working from the longer side, gently roll up the dough like a jelly roll and slice into 12 equal pieces. Spread the reserved ½ cup of the tahini caramel on the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, and place the buns in the dish.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another 30 minutes at room temperature.

Uncover and place in oven.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

Serve as is, by inverting pan so the bottoms of the buns are exposed. Alternatively, you can serve with the tahini frosting slathered over the buns.

TAHINI FROSTING: Whisk cream cheese, sesame paste and confectioners' sugar until well incorporated. Add water as necessary to thin frosting to desired consistency.

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S O B E W F F 16

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The future of Friday night dinner is served.

Kosher steps up to the plate in the sunshine state.

BY CHAVA WITKES

D

ining out with famous chefs and eating their food on Shabbos is hardly a realistic option for most kosher diners. This year, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF), together with the efforts of Chef Yos Schwartz of Hasid+Hipster made this dream dinner experience a reality.

Once a year, the Food Network hosts the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. It’s a national event that takes place across 5 days and showcases the world’s most renowned talents in the culinary industry.

The food and wine come from some of the best purveyors and the personalities who give food demonstrations at over 100 different events are nothing short of celebrity.

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SOBEWFF

Einat Admony

Yos Schwartz

Amos Sion

Zak Stern

Adeena Sussman

INFLUENCED BY THE PAST, MADE FOR THE PRESENT, TASTED LIKE THE FUTURE.

Appetizers

BY CHEF YOS SCHWARTZ

PICKLED SALMON CROSTINI “I wanted the dinner to feel that much more Jewish,” said Chef Yos, “So I borrowed this one from kiddush club.”

The riff on herring is a few steps up from the matjes and crackers that your grandfather ate in shul.

Poultry

BY EINAT ADMONY

CHICKEN TAGINE “This was your roasted Shabost chicken 2.0,” commented a guest.

“The carrot harissa was the perfect fresh and spicy accompaniment to

ZA’ATAR CRAB SALAD IN CUCUMBER CUPS

the rich, deeply flavored chicken.”

“When Amos Sion, the chef behind a popular non-kosher seafood restaurant in Israel heard I was making crab salad,

Meat

he freaked out. ‘How come I can’t use crab?!’ We quickly

BY ADEENA SUSSMAN

explained to him the kosher resourcefulness of imitation crab.”

HAWAIJ BRAISED SHORT RIBS

CHICKEN LIVER DEVILED EGGS “I made these with duck liver that I sourced from Grow & Behold, but I’m not expecting the average cook to have it on hand—the pâté will taste just as good with chicken livers.”

TROPICAL CEVICHE “This seafood salad is Miami meets Israel. We used bright, tangy passion fruit and sweet pomegranate seeds.

The idea for light appetizers was to set the stage for some of the heavier foods later in the meal.”

Fish

BY AMOS SION

HALIBUT WITH SPINACH AND TAHINI

“This dish made me fall in love with hawaij,” says Michelle. (a lucky guest at the SOBEWFF dinner)

Dessert

BY ZAK STERN

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE ALMOND COOKIES WITH FIG & HONEY ICE CREAM This recipe is staying top-secret, so you’ll have to make the trip to Zak the Baker in Miami if you want to experience it. (And who isn’t looking for an excuse to visit Florida?)

One guest noted,

“I was a little skeptical about these flavor combinations, but one bite was all I needed to be sold on Amos’ skill set. He does seafood really well.”

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SOBEWFF While SOBEWFF recently held its 18th annual event in February, it also hosted the second (and hopefully annual!) kosher event in the form of a Friday night Shabbos dinner. For the kosher world, it is groundbreaking to be recognized by an event as large and as star-studded as SOBEWFF. For $275 a seat, guests gathered in the ballroom of the Sea View Hotel in Bal Harbour to sample signature dishes from a group of chefs. There was challah—or rather, sourdough challah—by Zak Stern, of the eponymous Miami restaurant, Zak the Baker. Adeena Sussman, who coauthored over ten cookbooks and is coming out with her own title later this year entitled Sababa (available for pre-order on Amazon now), came in from Tel Aviv and showcased tender braised meat.

“The best part is how the chefs are all so friendly and approachable,” said Michelle Saka, one of the dinner guests and a South Beach native. “All of us ‘foodies’ got into great discussions with them about techniques and tastes.”

The main courses were a deeply flavored chicken tagine by Einat Admony, Israeli-born NYC-based restaurateur, and what should have been braised hawaij short ribs by Adeena Sussman. Adeena was actually presented with chunks of French roast in place of the ribs she planned to braise, but she brought her A-game and cooked the French roast chunks like a pro. The recipe will make an appearance in her upcoming book, Sababa. Let’s just say, no one noticed the “error,” and everyone who heard the story was impressed by how smoothly (and deliciously) she handled it.

She paired the meat with a velvety kohlrabi and sweet potato mash and it was melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Bringing the meal full circle was a fantastic dessert finale by Zak Stern.

He prepared flourless chocolate almond cookies with fig & honey ice cream. The plates were all licked clean by all the guests the entire night. Experiencing this over-the-top meal through the recipes will hopefully help you transform your typical Friday night Shabbos fare.

SHABBOS REINVENTED The SOBEWFF Friday night dinner menu echoed all the traditions of a typical Shabbos meal, but was far from traditional. Each chef was assigned a different course. Zak Stern started off the night with three different breads: classic, herb and poppy, along with traditional Israeli “salatim” (salad) starters: eggplant, schug, perfectly seasoned Moroccan carrot salad and a cucumber tomato salad. Appetizers were handled by Chef Yos Schwartz. He took a light approach and served pickled salmon crostini, ceviche with passion fruit, za’atar “crab” salad in cucumber cups, and a Grow & Behold duck liver pâté served in deviled eggs. The fish course was served

by Amos Sion, of the notable (albeit nonkosher) seafood restaurant, Helena, in Caesarea Israel. He served grouper over a bed of spinach, drizzled with tahini and topped with pomegranate seeds.

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Shifra’s Note: During the food preparation, when the chefs were hanging out in the kitchen, I noticed a bowl of fresh cucumber balls, sliced red onions and tons of herbs. I asked Chef Yos what the plans were for this beautifully arranged salad (already imagining some fancy pairing with ceviche or perhaps part of Zak the Baker’s salad course). He laughed as he shared that this was a quick salad whipped up from all the leftover, ‘garbage’ vegetables that wouldn’t make it onto the plate.

It was a great lesson in conscious use of all ingredients, a core philosophy in most successful restaurant kitchens.

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INTERVIEW

S YO

, TAKE THE

W

HE

QA EL .

&

SITTING DOWN WITH YOS SCHWARTZ— A HASSID, HIPSTER AND CHEF Yos Schwartz is the Brooklyn-born mastermind behind Miamibased Hassid+Hipster—an epicurean brand that includes a sandwich lab, private chef services and pop-up dinners with 12-course tasting menus. He’s also the guy who pulled connections in the food business to make sure kosher dining was represented appropriately at SOBEWFF.

So you’ve been cooking since you were a teenager.

Yeah, I think it was the bad food at yeshiva that inspired me. I asked my dad if I could drop out and go to culinary school. He said if I waited until I was done learning, he’d pay for it. I waited.

Was it a good choice?

Of course. I went to Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and it was 45 minutes away from my house. I would come home from a long day working and learning in the kitchen and eat my mom’s food. I think living at home helped me survive all the treif (non-kosher) at school. That, and cigarettes.

A cooking school where you couldn’t eat anything.

Sounds rough.

It was, but I was a serious student. I got a lot out of the experience and I focused on all my other senses when I couldn’t taste.

What defines you as a chef?

I did sous vide before it was cool. I’m talking fifteen years ago. But for real, I dabble in everything. That’s the beauty of not having a restaurant. I don’t have to define myself.

Does that mean there’s no H+H eatery in the pipeline?

No way. I have a wife and four kids. The restaurant life is not for me.

But I never say NEVER! MAY/JUNE 2019

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SOBEWFF

What does success as a chef look like for you?

Getting recognized by the non-kosher food world, and I guess SOBEWFF is a good step in that direction. Also, it would be nice to get a James Beard award just for bragging rights.

How do you come up with cutting-edge recipes?

For me, cooking is an experiment. I start with an idea. I touch upon memories of local food in the different countries I’ve been to— China, Italy, London, Paris, Budapest, Germany. Then I do a lot of research. I branch out. I change, adjust, and add new angles.

Sounds a little complicated. What about the people out there who don’t know how to cook?

Stick with recipes and be patient. Eventually you’ll figure it out.

Why did you get involved in SOBEWFF? I wanted to make sure there was amazing kosher food represented on the same level as nonkosher. We can’t become complacent. I don’t want people to think kosher food is just Manischewitz.

Of course there’s a place for Manischewitz—matzah meal in my mother’s gefilte fish recipe—but that’s it.

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CLOSE YOUR EYES, AND LET THIS DISH TAKE YOU SOUTH.

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SOBEWFF

P

POMEGRANATE PASSION FRUIT TUNA CEVICHE

Serves: 6

RECIPE BY CHEF YOS SCHWARTZ This ceviche is everything we look for in a fresh, raw dish- sweet, savory, acidic, a little spicy. It touches on all the right notes.

2 whole passion fruits

(or use 6 ounces

passion fruit juice) 3 limes, juiced and zested 1 whole jalapeño, stem

and seeds removed,

finely diced 1 pound sushi grade

tuna, cut into

½-inch chunks 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 Asian pear, diced ½ cup pomegranate

seeds, reserving

some for garnish Remove the pulp from the passion fruit and toss with the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Cover and let the fish marinate in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Serve garnished with more pomegranate seeds.

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Z

SOBEWFF

ZA’ATAR "CRAB" SALAD IN CUCUMBER CUPS Yields 10-12 cups

RECIPE BY CHEF YOS SCHWARTZ

These are surprisingly easy, elegant and light all at once. It’s the perfect appetizer for your holiday table.

YO U

C

S UP

WILL OV

ER ETH. OW FL

R

1 hothouse cucumber,

sliced into 1-inch discs 1 pound imitation crab

sticks, diced (we

recommend Dyna Sea) 1 shallot, minced (or

use half a small

red onion) ½ cup mayonnaise ½ teaspoon paprika 2 tablespoons za’atar seasoning ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Sriracha (optional) Prepare cucumber ‘cups’ by scooping out the pulp with a melon baller, making sure not to go through to the bottom.

Set aside.

Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and let sit in fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to incorporate.

Fill the cucumber cups with the za’atar crab salad (you can use a mini cookie scoop or a measuring spoon) and place on a platter ready to serve.

SERVING TIP: In place

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of the cucumbers use mini crunchy tortilla shells. We love the Del Campo gourmet mini taco shells.

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P

SOBEWFF

PICKLED SALMON Serves: 12

RECIPE BY CHEF YOS SCHWARTZ

THE RIFF ON HERRING IS A FEW STEPS UP FROM THE MATJES AND CRACKERS THAT YOUR GRANDFATHER ATE IN SHUL. 2 pounds salmon, skinned and cut into

1-inch chunks 2 Spanish onions, julienned 1 cup cold water ½ cup apple cider vinegar Ÿ cup sugar 6 bay leaves 20 whole black peppercorns 6 whole cloves 2 tablespoons kosher salt Crackers or toasted baguette slices, for serving Whole grain mustard, for serving

No herr ing here .

Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add salmon and blanch for just a minute or two. Strain and dry the salmon well.

In a saucepan, prepare the pickling liquid by bringing the water, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves and salt to a boil.

Layer the salmon chunks into a jar, alternating between salmon and onions, without overcrowding.

Depending on the size jar you are

using, you may need another jar (or two).

Pour the pickling solution over the salmon and onions, making sure all ingredients are submerged (add a little water if necessary).

Let the jar come to room temperature, then refrigerate.

It will be ready to eat in two days.

Use the pickled salmon within a week after ready.

Serve on crackers with whole grain mustard.

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SOBEWFF

H TS A

FU

LL Y

G O

.

OD

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NO BU

SI N

BO

UT

TH

IS

HA

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BU

T.

HALIBUT ‘SINYE’

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SOBEWFF TA GI

N E

LI

KE NO

ON EI HI ATC SW

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C

CHICKEN TAGINE

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SOBEWFF

F

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

LE T

TH

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M

EA T

CA K

E.

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SOBEWFF

HALIBUT ‘SINYE’

SPICY CHICKEN TAGINE

RECIPE BY SHIFRA KLEIN (INSPIRED

BY CHEF AMOS SION’S GROUPER SINYE)

RECIPE BY: EINAT ADMONY FROM HER COOKBOOK BALABOOSTA PUBLISHED BY ARTISAN BOOKS.

Serves: 6

Grouper is hard to find kosher, so we used halibut here, which is the perfect substitution. It’s hearty enough to withstand the hot sear, yet has a deliciously delicate and flaky texture once cooked. Sea bass is another great alternative.

6 (6-ounce) halibut fillets 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 3 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup Caramelized Onions

(pg. 66) 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons savory hawaij

spice blend (or use

curry powder) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 6 cups baby spinach ½ cup tahini (pure sesame paste) 1 cup ice cold water ½ teaspoon ground cumin Heat a cast iron pan (or solid frying pan) over medium-high heat.

Drizzle one tablespoon oil in pan.

Coat halibut in 2 teaspoons salt and pepper and sear for five minutes per side. Set aside.

Wipe down pan and add another tablespoon of oil, then the onions, garlic, hawaij (or curry) and cumin seeds. Cook for three minutes.

Add spinach and lower heat to medium. Add one teaspoon of salt.

Cook until spinach wilts, about fifteen minutes, stirring every so often.

Place spinach onto a platter and top with the halibut.

Blend tahini, water, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cumin until smooth. At this point you can serve the fish drizzled with tahini or place in oven safe dish, pour tahini on top of the fish and bake in a 400ºF oven for 6 minutes so the tahini forms a crust over the fish.

Serve warm.

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Serves: 8

You can use a Meyer lemon in place of the preserved lemons. It won’t have the same impact, but will still impart a citrus and slightly floral note to the chicken dish.

1 orange 2 chickens, cut into eighths 2 teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups chicken stock 2-3 tablespoons harissa (if you don’t like things too spicy, limit to 2 tablespoons) 2 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 preserved lemon, cut into small wedges 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled 2 fennel bulbs, cut into ½-inch thick wedges 2 leeks, light green and white parts only, sliced into 2-inch pieces 1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces, divided Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice the ends off the orange and stand the fruit on one flat end. Slice off the orange peel with a paring knife from top to bottom, leaving as little of the white pith as possible and set the peels aside.

Squeeze juice from the orange; you should get about 1/4 cup — top up to one cup with extra store-bought orange juice.

Season the chicken with

salt & pepper.

Put the chicken stock, orange juice, harissa, paprika, cumin and turmeric into a large Dutch oven. Mix well. Add the preserved lemon, reserved orange peels, garlic cloves, fennel, leeks and half the mint. Add the chicken and toss everything together until well coated.

Cook covered for 1½ hours.

Rotate the chicken pieces over and mix again. Continue to cook for another hour.

Remove the lid and bring the pot to the table. Sprinkle remaining mint leaves on top.

The chicken meat should fall from the bone.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE Serves: 8

RECIPE BY: SHIFRA KLEIN (INSPIRED BY: ZAK THE BAKER’S FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES) Inspired by the cookies Zak the Baker served, we created a chocolate cake version that can easily serve a crowd. The cake provides that rich powerful punch of glorious chocolate flavor everyone loves. ½ cup margarine (1 stick) 5 ounces bittersweet

chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon instant coffee ¾ cup sugar 3 large eggs ½ cup Dutch processed

cocoa, sifted ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ cup chopped almonds, optional Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax or parchment paper and grease the paper.

Place margarine in a microwave safe bowl and melt in microwave. Add chopped chocolate into hot melted

margarine and mix to combine. If chocolate isn’t fully melted, place back in the microwave for thirty seconds. Add the instant coffee to the warm chocolate mixture.

Mix sugar and eggs together and while whisking, add the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture.

Add the cocoa powder and salt to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust.

Cool cake in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes; invert onto a serving plate to serve.

BOURBON WHOLE GRAIN MUSTARD Yields: 2 cups

Ari White recently shared a batch of the bourbon whole grain mustard he will be serving at the upcoming Kiddushfest (NYC’s premier kuddush club whiskey event where rare spirits and awesome food come together) on June 19th. Needless to say, we were obsessed and wanted to put it on everything. We used it in this issue to top the chicken liver deviled eggs (pg. 29). Ari was gracious enough to share the recipe and as we chatted, he shared some information regarding the upcoming whiskey bash.

After 11 years of catering kosher whiskey dinners and events, Ari and his wife Gemma are hosting the largest kosher whiskey and food festival at the renowned Battery Gardens in Battery Park, NYC. They will be serving over 300 whiskey varieties from 40 brands from around the world, beer from local breweries, a cigar stand and award winning food from Wandering-Que. For tickets (they are limited!) visit www.kiddushfest. ticketleap.com.

2 cups whole grain mustard

(we prefer Maille brand) ¼ cup bourbon Combine and store in an airtight jar in the fridge. The longer it sits the better it gets.

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L

SOBEWFF

LIVER DEVILED EGGS Serves: 6

RECIPE BY SHIFRA KLEIN This recipe was inspired by Chef Yos’ duck liver deviled eggs. As duck liver is pricy and not so readily available, prepared chicken livers (such as Meal Mart) are the perfect stand-in

6 eggs ½ cup store-bought broiled

chicken livers ⅓ cup Caramelized Onions

(pg. 66) ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon kosher salt Place eggs in a medium saucepan and fill with water.

Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool and peel.

(It helps to peel under running water.)

Slice eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks.

Place yolks in a blender or food processor and blend with the livers, onions, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and salt until smooth.

Lay the egg whites on a platter, and spoon or pipe liver-yolk mixture into the egg whites.

Serve with radishes, sprouts or your favorite condiments.

S

O M ETI

M ES T H

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D

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IL IS RIGHT

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South Beach S

BY SHIFRA KLEIN

TRAVEL

outh Beach is its own separate section of Miami Beach.

It is a solid 10-30 minute drive from Miami Beach central (depending on traffic) and over an hour from Miami Beach

International and Ft. Lauderdale airports. Once there, South Beach

What to do?

has enough to do and eat with no need to travel elsewhere.

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PUBLIC PARKS

BEACH, OF COURSE!

The beaches in South Beach are all easily accessible to the public. You do not need to be staying at a hotel in order to access the beach. There is a cool new service available, however, to those who want to have beach service (chair, towels, spa service, shower access) but don’t want to stay in a hotel. We highly recommend www. resortpass.com which offers daily passes to hotels. Many even include free parking as well. Prices range from $50-$150 in the South Beach area, but this offer is available throughout the United States.

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LUMMUS PARK is a public beachfront park on Ocean Drive, between 5th and 15th Streets. You’ll find beach volleyball courts, sidewalks for rollerblading, power walking or jogging - a beautiful place to get in a workout.

Lummus Park also has free public restrooms and a playground for kids, among other amenities. www.miamibeachfl.gov SOUTH POINTE PARK is an iconic backdrop as it is located at the southern edge of South Beach.

Greenery & ocean views in a picturesque oasis with beach access provides opportunities for biking, skateboarding, jogging, benches for lounging, a children’s playground, a pier for fishing and an observation deck. www.miamibeachfl.gov

GET ACTIVE 1. RENT A BIKE. A simple ride along the boardwalk is a refreshing, relaxing way to see the sights.

Companies like www.bikeandroll.com offer options from independent daily rentals to proper guided bike or Segway tours.

2. RENT A JET SKI OR GO PADDLEBOARDING. There are plenty of companies in the area that rent out jet-skis; some even offer lessons for beginners.

3. RENT ROLLERBLADES. There are many biking paths and parks that give you the freedom to rollerblade your way through South Beach.

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Where to get spiritual?

CHABAD SOUTH BEACH

320 Meridian Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139 (786) 514-9593 www.chabadinsouthbeach.com

If you’re going to a beach town, stay at the beach.

Beachfront hotels and condo rentals range in price from $150 to upwards of $1000 a night. We recently enjoyed a stay at The W Hotel South Beach (www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/miaws-w-south-beach/) and enjoyed the cool vibe, large rooms, ocean access and amenities like complimentary bikes and a full service spa. You can also search sites like www.vrbo.com for beachfront condo rental options.

LINCOLN ROAD MALL

Updated in 1997 with a $16-million facelift, the 8 block mall, most popular for (mostly non-kosher) dining and retail therapy, sits between 16th and 17th Streets and stretches from Washington Avenue to Alton Road. Sundays are popular for the Lincoln Road Antiques and Farmers' Market. Lincoln Road Mall is adjacent to numerous indoor parking garages and outdoor lots, plus streets lined with metered parking. www.lincolnroadmall.com .

JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA-FIU

The museum is dedicated to telling the story of more than 250 years of Florida Jewish history, arts and culture, with a growing collection of more than 100,000 items. The Museum is housed in two restored historic buildings that were once synagogues for Miami Beach's first Jewish congregation. www.jmof.fiu.edu.

301 Washington Avenue Miami Beach, Florida 33139.

(305) 672-5044. Open TuesdaySunday from 10am-5pm. Closed Mondays and holidays.

Where to eat?

Where to stay?

TRAVEL

There are endless options of kosher eateries in South Florida, but once in South Beach it can be time consuming to travel to the more well-known kosher spots (Bal Harbour & Aventura), making it easier and simpler to stay local. Today there a few solid kosher spots that will provide you necessary sustenance while beaching, biking or shopping.

MARBLE & RYE: A MODERN DELI

Marble & Rye is a modern take on a traditional New York delicatessen. Featuring old world deli staples with a contemporary twist, Marble & Rye focuses on providing quality kosher food to tourists and locals alike.

723 Lincoln Lane N Miami Beach, FL 33140 (305) 401-5492 www.marbleandryemiami.com MDK Kosher Certified

TYO SUSHI

This is the spot to get fresh sushi and poke bowlsthe ultimate light beach lunch or early dinner.

723 Lincoln Lane N Miami Beach, FL 33140 (786) 897-3247 www.tyosushi.com MDK Kosher Certified

17 RESTAURANT & SUSHI BAR

A full service dairy restaurant with a generous selection of salads, wraps, pasta, pizza, fish, smoothies, milkshakes and fresh sushi.

1710 Alton Road Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 672-0565 www.17restaurant.com MDK Kosher Certified MAY/JUNE 2019

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TOP 5: FOOD DESTINATIONS

TOP 5: FAVORITE DESSERT Gabriel Boxer, a travel and restaurant pro, a.k.a. Kosher Guru, shares the TOP 5 most memorable restaurant dishes of the month.

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3

 FROZEN POPS FROM ELEGANT DESSERTS If you asked me for some Shavuos food adjectives, my first words would be refreshing, citrusy, and sweet. Shavuos marks the start of the summer months— which are approaching sooner than we think. What better way to welcome them than with icy cold, sweet treats? Elegant Desserts is a huge name that you may have heard of for a simchah or event, but now you can have their tasty pops in your own home. With mini or jumbo Lotus, razzle, salted caramel pretzel, strawberry shortcake and more, their popsicle selection is truly endless. There’s something for everyone to enjoy! www.elegantdessertsny.com

 JOCONDE BISCUIT CAKE FROM THE MAVEN BAKER The Maven Baker is South Florida’s elite bakery that features desserts free from hydrogenated oils and trans fats; they only use one hundred percent natural, non-GMO ingredients. That’s what I like to call a guiltfree dessert. The dainty Joconde Biscuit Cake will surely bring oohs and aahs to the table. Its alternating layers of creamy strawberry mousse, fresh strawberry gelée and vanilla Bavarian cream would be more than enough. But it doesn’t stop there! The cake is adorned with a vanilla mirror glaze and decorated with ripe strawberries, micro mint and French macarons. info@mavenbaker.com (954) 842-0404

 CHOCOLATE BABKA FROM REDEFINED COFFEE The definition of the word delicious? “Highly pleasing to the senses, especially to taste or smell.” Well, the chocolate babka at Redefined is OUTSTANDING and AAHMAZING. And it’s pareve so you can enjoy it after any meal (or in-between courses).

It’s the best store-bought babka out there, with the warmest homemade taste. www.redefined.coffee 2771 Nostrand Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11210 (718) 704-1188

 VENDOME FROM PATIS BAKERY Patis Bakery is an artisanal bakery in New Jersey with a strong European vibe. Let’s be real—everything on the other side of the ocean has a different flair to it.

Take the Vendome, for example; it’s a glutenfree indulgence—rich chocolate cream swirled within a hazelnut cake and mousse

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at the base. Add the chocolate icing and a hazelnut shell and your family and guests will be humming with joy after each bite. www.patis.com 323 Ridge Road Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071 (201) 438-4004

5

 MIXED FRUIT TART FROM MENSCH BAKERY AND KITCHEN With the details and flowers they entail, tarts add so much to any dessert table.

Mensch Bakery, the best kosher bakery in Los Angeles, carries a countless number of tarts to choose from. My all-time favorite is the mixed fruit one. Imagine biting into a perfectly crisp shell that has velvety custard and sweet fruit in each bite. I’m ready for Shavuos just thinking about it.

They have simpler fruit tarts as well, such as strawberry, blueberry, apple, pear, almond and apricot. There are also 9-inch tarts, but I prefer a variety of bite-sized tarts…so that I don’t have to share any! www.menschbakery.com 7122 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90036 (323) 954-1250

FOLLOW THE KOSHER GURU on Instagram & Facebook @kosherguru, on Twitter @thekosherguru, his blog at www.thekosherguru.com, or subscribe to his YouTube channel. Tune in to “The Nosh” (a kosher foodie and restaurant radio show on 620AM in the NYC area) with Kosher Guru airing every Thursday evenings at 9:30 P.M. You can also check out his popular Facebook group @KosherGuru’sKosherNation. w w w.f leishigs.com

BS"D

Believe in something.

Even if it means sacrificing everything.

REAL TEXAS BBQ Coming to stores soon!

Just QUE it

Mastering

PAREVE BAKING

with The Kosher Baker

Pareve baking

BY PAULA SHOYER

After I graduated from pastry school in Paris, I converted the dairy recipes I learned into pareve ones that could be served on Shabbos. Back then, there were few options for dairy substitutes. I had to adjust techniques and baking times to compensate for the poor replacements that were out there on the market. Thus was born my love for the chemistry involved in pareve baking. Here is what I learned along the way: MAY/JUNE 2019

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PAREVE BAKING

General Baking Tips 1. Always read through the entire recipe before you begin. Really.

2. I ngredients, especially eggs, should be at room temperature before baking.

3. Measure precisely by scooping and leveling ingredients. Keep dry ingredients in containers or large freezer bags so that they are easier to measure.

4. Line round, square, or rectangular pans with oil and parchment paper; for Bundt pans, coat generously with oil and flour them well. When baking a chocolate cake, use cocoa to dust the greased pan instead of flour.

5. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Reduce the stated baking time by 1015% to ensure that you do not over-bake anything. Then check and add more time if needed.

6. Keep a ruler in the kitchen so that you can roll out dough to the size specified in the recipe.

Dairy

Substitutions

MILK SUBSTITUTE

CREAM SUBSTITUTE

WHIPPED CREAM SUBSTITUTE

For a milk substitute, choose soy, nut, coconut, oat, rice, or any other non-dairy milk.

For a cream substitute, use a thicker milk such as soy or almond, coconut cream, or one of the many popular nondairy creamers that are on the market.

For a whipped cream substitute, use a pareve replacement or chill coconut cream and beat until stiff.

Better yet, beat the liquid from a can of chickpeas with ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar until stiff. (Add ⅓ cup of powdered sugar for additional sweetness.) This is called aquafaba and is a great vegan option.

BUTTER SUBSTITUTE A new butter alternative that recently hit the market, Betterine, is based on pure coconut oil and is made from four simple, natural ingredients. The coconut oil that is used goes through a natural steam refining process that removes the strong coconut taste. Additionally, it has no added chemicals, is vegan and lactose free. Betterine is available in a stick, just like butter or margarine and can be used to replace either one at a 1:1 ratio. As it is completely natural, it does require refrigeration and requires time to come to room temperature for recipes that call for it.

To replace the butter in sweet pastry recipes, use any of the healthier pareve butter substitutes. I prefer coconut oil—opt for the refined kind, which has a milder taste, and add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the recipe. To use coconut oil in cookie or pie dough, measure out the amount you will need and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes until it becomes slightly firm. Then use the food processor to cut the coconut oil into the dry ingredients.

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Paula Shoyer is the author of The Kosher Baker, The Holiday Kosher Baker, The New Passover Menu, and The Healthy Jewish Kitchen. She gives baking and cooking demos around the world and has made more than 35 appearances on TV, including the Food Network. She launched a baking Facebook group called “Kosher Baker.” Follow her on Instagram @kosherbaker. w w w.f leishigs.com

To plate “ugly” desserts, place them in small cups, jars, or ramekins. Add sauce or fresh fruit. No one will know what you originally planned.

Burnt edges can be scraped or cut off.

Add confectioners’ sugar to cover.

Melting Chocolate There is a huge variety of pareve chocolate out there in many forms—chips, chunks, bars. The higher quality products really do taste better. Some brands of chocolate chips do not melt smoothly. If they seem too dry, a quick fix is to add a little oil into the melting chocolate. (I’ve found that the quickest way to melt chocolate is to microwave it for 30-second intervals, stirring after each one.)

ie

Butter substitutes make dough softer, so they often stick to the rolling pin or parchment. To avoid this, use two pieces of parchment paper: flour one piece and place dough on top, then cover with the second piece and roll to desired thickness. Lift the top piece to add more flour as necessary and turn the “package” over once to lift the bottom paper and add more flour to the bottom if needed. If the dough starts to stick, place the package in the freezer for five minutes to firm up again, then remove and roll out.

GUEST EDITOR

Malkie @kissthekoshercook

METAL EVERYTHING! I absolutely cannot stress how important good quality metal cookware and bakeware is! That also goes for metal bundt pans and muffin tins. It yields more even baking, creates a better crumb and overall a superior end result. For cooking, baking sheets give roasted chicken or vegetables that undeniable caramelized texture you just can’t get from foil. Just say no to disposable.

• 9x13-inch pan

A BAKER’S PANTRY

Use apricot jam or melted chocolate to “glue” any crust or cake back together.

GE

a n R d o C l o l o in k ie g D o o u u t g h P

Troubleshooting Baking Disasters

PAREVE BAKING

• 8-inch square • 2 (8-inch or 9-inch) round pans • 2 (8-inch) and 2 (12-inch) loaf pans • 12-cup muffin tin • Silicone Bundt pan • Springform pan • 6 sheet pans Don’t be tempted to buy cheap, thin baking pans. Look for wellmade, sturdy ones that cannot bend, and go for the lighter-colored pans to ensure even baking.

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RASPBERRY AND ROSE

MACARON CAKE

PAREVE BAKING

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PAREVE BAKING

Serves 8 Rose Pastry Cream ¾ cup soy milk 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds

scraped, or 1 teaspoon pure

vanilla extract 2 tablespoons margarine 5 tablespoons sugar, divided 3 large egg yolks 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour ⅓ cup dairy-free whipping cream 2 teaspoons rose water, more

to taste 9-12 ounces fresh raspberries,

or 6 ounces raspberries and

½ cup pitted lychees (about

8 lychees), cut in pieces.

Macaron Cookie Layers ⅔ cup (180g) almond flour

(grind 1½ cups slivered

almonds in a coffee grinder) 1⅓ cups (160g) confectioners’ sugar 3 large egg whites ¼ cup (50g) sugar ½ teaspoon raspberry extract,

or pink/red gel food

coloring (optional) To prepare the eggs Separate the eggs and let the whites sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

To prepare the pastry cream In a heavy saucepan, bring the soy milk, scraped seeds and vanilla bean pod or vanilla extract, margarine and 3 tablespoons of the sugar to a rolling boil. Whisk the mixture to separate the vanilla seeds so that they don’t clump.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add the flour and whisk well. Strain half the soy milk mixture into the egg bowl and whisk. Strain the other half of the milk into the egg mixture and whisk. Discard the vanilla bean pod.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook on low heat

for 3-4 minutes, whisking often. It's best to use a silicone spatula to mix the cream at the bottom sides of the saucepan. After every 15 seconds of whisking, pause and let the mixture sit until bubbles form; it should look like the mixture is “breathing.”

When the mixture resembles thick vanilla pudding, remove from heat and place in a clean bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge, until chilled, for 4 hours or overnight. (To use it sooner, place the bowl of pastry cream over a larger bowl filled with 2-3 cups of ice and 2 cups of water.

Whisk the mixture occasionally for about 30 minutes, until chilled.)

The cream can be made 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.

To make the macarons Preheat oven to 300°F. Cut a sheet of parchment paper to perfectly fit the bottom of a 12x16inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.

Use a pen to trace 2 (8-inch) circles on the parchment paper (I use 8-inch round baking pans as “stencils”). Turn the paper over.

Process the almond flour and confectioners’ sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade for 3 minutes. Sift the mixture into another bowl, discarding any large almond pieces.

In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites at medium-high speed, until stiff. Reduce speed to low and add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase speed to high for another 3 minutes. Add the raspberry extract or food coloring to create a bright pink color and beat for another 30 seconds.

Add the almond-sugar mixture to the egg whites. Mix on low speed until mostly combined and then finish mixing with a spatula; you do not want to over-mix the batter.

Place the macaron batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 6-mm round tip. Pipe a little batter under the corners of the parchment to “glue” it down to the cookie sheet. Starting in the center of each circle, pipe spirals until your batter fills the shape. If

you have leftover batter, pipe small, 1-1 ½-inch circles to make small macarons for decorating. Let batter sit at room temperature for 40 minutes.

Bake the cookies at 300°F for 25-30 minutes, until they’ve puffed up and are solid to touch. Do not let the tops brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Do not take the cookies off the parchment until you are ready to assemble the cake.

To finish the rose cream Whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Whisk the rose water into the pastry cream. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream in batches until all incorporated.

Chill cream in the fridge for 20 minutes.

To assemble the cake Peeling the cookies off the parchment may cause them to break.

Instead, remove them from the tray by peeling the parchment off the cookie.

Place one cookie on a serving platter. Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the chilled cream to decorate the top.

Spread the rest on top of the cookie, leaving a 1-inch border. Place raspberries upside down on the border, tightly packed near each other. Press the sides of the berries gently into the cream.

Scatter more raspberries or the chopped lychees (or both) over the rose cream and press in until they are mostly covered. Gently place the second cookie on top of the fruit and cream, top side up.

Dip the small macarons into the cream and attach them vertically on top of the cake or assemble a few mini macaron cookies (use any leftover cream for the filling between the cookies) and place them on top of the cake. You can also use rose petals for decoration.

Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Reprinted with permission from The Holiday Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer (Sterling Epicure 2013).

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PAREVE BAKING

A galette is a free-form, rustic French tart.

You roll the dough into a large circle, place fruit in the middle, and then fold up the sides to partially cover the filling. You can create your own signature dessert by using any combination of fruits you like—berries, plums, peaches or apricots, etc.—as long as it totals 3 cups. “Winterize" the galette by using peeled and thinly sliced apples or pears.

SUMMER FRUIT GALETTE GALET TE

GE

MALKIE'S TIPS ON MAKING THE PERFECT GALETTE:

Make sure to use frozen or very cold butter and add water a little bit at a time. You want nice chunks of butter (fat) in your dough because when you bake the dough it melts GUEST EDITOR and steams and results in the perfect crust. When putting the dough together, crumbly is good; just pack it and seal Malkie in plastic wrap for a few hours, chill and then roll out. Its @kissthekoshercook rustic. It's easy- just roll, fill and viola. A delicious, crowd pleasing dessert.

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PAREVE BAKING

Serves 8 Dough 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons margarine,

cut into 6 pieces and

frozen for at least 30

minutes prior to using 1 large egg, separated 3 tablespoons ice water, divided Filling 3 cups fresh fruit, cut into ½-inch pieces, or peeled

and thinly sliced apples

or pears 3 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon sugar, to

sprinkle on top To make the dough Place the flour, salt and margarine into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse 10 times, or cut the margarine into the flour and salt by hand using two knives or a pastry cutter.

Add the egg yolk (reserving the white) and 1 tablespoon of the ice water. Pulse 5 times or mix gently by hand. Add another tablespoon of ice water and pulse another 5 times or mix to combine. Add the last tablespoon of water, a little at a time, pulsing or lightly mixing the dough for 10-15 seconds, until it looks like clumps of couscous; the dough does not have to come together completely. Gather the dough into a ball.

Take a large piece of plastic wrap and sprinkle some flour on top. Place the dough on the floured plastic, wrap the plastic around it, and then flatten slightly. Freeze the dough for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF and place a rack on the lowest shelf of your oven.

Take a large piece of parchment and sprinkle it with flour. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and place it on top of the parchment. Sprinkle some flour on the dough and then place a second piece of parchment on top. Roll out the dough until it is about 12-13 inches wide, trying your best to keep the shape round. Peel back the top parchment and sprinkle some more flour once or twice while rolling.

To make the filling Place the fruit in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle on top of the fruit and mix gently.

Place the fruit in the center of the dough circle and spread it outward, leaving a 2 or 3-inch border on the outside.

Take one small section of the dough border, about 2 inches, and fold it over the fruit, leaving the fruit-filled center open. Pick up another 2-inch section of the border and repeat, pressing one section into the next to seal it, creating pleats in the dough.

Beat the reserved egg white and brush over the dough.

Sprinkle dough with the teaspoon of granulated sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes on the lowest rack in your oven.

Move the galette to a middle rack and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Reprinted with permission from The Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer (Brandeis University Press 2010).

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PAREVE BAKING

SAVORY SAVORY TOMATO TOMATO GALETTE GALET TE

Tile by: Elizabeth Sutton for TileBar www.elizabethsuttoncollection.com

Replace the fruit filling with tomatoes and spread almond ricotta (pg. 66) or your favorite pesto on the crust. Decorate with more tomatoes. We highly recommend heirloom tomatoes, especially as summer approaches and more varieties are available. Heirloom tomatoes are usually open-pollinated, which is a natural approach to planting produce. They have a shorter season than traditional tomatoes and are often very sweet. Plus, they are beautiful in color!

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For that amazing dessert you always wished could be a little more natural...

Now, completely natural.

Batshi Kochai

™ Natural Baking and Cooking Stick

amarlane foods Your way, naturally

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Vegan

NON GMO

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‫כשר פארווע‬ ‫השגחה תמידית‬

IN THE KNOW

MARGARINE It’s not surprising that margarine secured a spot in most kosher cooks’ pareve baking recipes. Does using man-made, non-dairy ingredients compromise our health? Not all margarines are created equal—here’s what you need to know before stocking up on this baking basic:

AVOID ONES WITH “HYDROGENATED” IN THE INGREDIENTS These oils, also known as trans fats, raise your risk of heart disease—the number one killer for women. Hydrogenated oils are dangerous because they raise LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and lower HDL levels (good cholesterol).

Man-made trans fats—found in foods like crackers, cookies, baked goods, and fast food—is crafted from partially hydrogenated oil (liquid oil that has hydrogen added to it to make it solid). It's been shown to boost weight gain and belly fat even when the calorie count

and percentage of total fat is exactly the same as in butter.

Trans fats have been linked to an increased risk of infertility; one study found that the infertility risk jumped by a whopping seventy-three percent with each two percent increase in trans fat.

Margarines without hydrogenated oils are, in fact, better than butter, because those margarines have significantly less saturated fat—which is linked to poor cardiovascular health. One tablespoon of butter packs seven grams of saturated fat (more than half the recommended daily limit of twelve to fourteen), while margarine only contains only two.

A



E V E R A P

BUT NOT ALL MARGARINES ARE THE SAME. IN GENERAL, THE MORE SOLID THE MARGARINE, THE MORE TRANS FAT IT CONTAINS. SO, ACCORDING TO THE MAYO CLINIC, YOU’RE BETTER OFF PICKING UP TUBS THAN STICKS NEXT TIME YOU HIT THE GROCERY STORE.

MARGARINE, OR MARGA-NISHT? Food products are allowed to label “zero grams trans fat” on products that contain less than half a gram per serving. And a product can claim to be trans fat free if it's made with fully hydrogenated instead of partially hydrogenated ones.

Technically, fully-hydrogenated oils are trans fat free, but they're not risk-free. A Brandeis University study found that eating products made with fully hydrogenated oil may decrease HDL, the good cholesterol, and in just four weeks can result in a significant (twenty percent!) rise in blood sugar levels.

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IN THE KNOW

TO MARG OR NOT TO MARG, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

E FRIEN D

There is no clear winner in the margarine debate; I personally prefer substitutes that are less processed for most recipes, like refined coconut oil. And whatever you choose, consume these products in moderation.

FOE? OR

THERE'S A MARGINAL DIFFERENCE.  Compare the health value of spreads (including butter and margarine) by looking at the nutrition labels on these products; the goal is to limit intake of saturated fats and to avoid trans fats altogether.  Look out for trans fat free margarines and select products made with healthy oils, such as olive or avocado.  Look for margarine tubs instead of sticks.  Identify the "hidden" trans fat not listed in the nutrition facts by checking the ingredient list for the words “partially hydrogenated.”

BY BETH WARREN

THE BOTTOM LINE: MARGARINE IS RICH IN UNSATURATED FAT AND OFTEN IN TRANS FAT AS WELL. THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF BOTH THESE FATS ARE HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL AND THEIR ROLES IN HEART DISEASE IS OFTEN DOWNPLAYED. HOWEVER, RESEARCH IS CONSISTENT ON THEIR HIGH-RISK EFFECT ON INCREASED CHOLESTEROL LEVELS.

Beth is a nutritionist and cookbook author of Secrets of A Kosher Girl (available on Amazon). To schedule a nutrition appointment with Beth in the Brooklyn (Flatbush and Williamsburg), NYC, NJ locations or virtually, or to book an appearance, email beth@bethwarrennutrition.com or call 347-292-1725. Most insurances accepted. You can also follow her on Instagram for healthy eating motivation and recipes @beth_warren.

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uos Spr v a ea Sh d A

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Article by Chava Witkes

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Recipes by the chefs at Noi Due Carne E! 46

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THE DINNER:

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t’s 3:00 PM and Golan Chetrit, proprietor of Noi Due Carne, is calling his team together around a shiny stainless steel table in the Noi Due Carne restaurant kitchen. The chef, Beau Houck, passes around the day’s specials, which include their famous spaghetti-stuffed meatball, as well as a salmon carpaccio. Chef Beau briefs the servers and bus boys with everything they need to know to properly relay the specials to guests. In a few hours, this Upper West Side restaurant will be buzzing with conversation while customers from all sides of the kosher spectrum come to enjoy the Mediterranean-inspired food at this popular small-plates inspired Italian restaurant, but for these few moments, there is a sense of peace. This is the Noi Due family, and it’s how Golan runs his restaurants.

It is during Chef Beau’s briefing that Golan provides positive feedback to the bartender, and brings up any issues to the team like the importance of allergy requests, customer service and special parties. There are always fires to put out with restaurants and Golan does so under pressure with grace, always asking the advice of his team and

Inspired by the Italian themed fare calmly maintaining the superb service that Noi Due is famous for.

Golan opened Noi Due Carne two years ago after ten years of success at his neighboring dairy restaurant of the same name. The Italian-born owner sees everyone from his head chef to his dishwasher as family. “At Noi Due we still have ten employees with us from the beginning.” In an industry where high turnover is the norm, Golan has kept his staff together with a strong vision that goes beyond just serving food. “Our restaurant is part of the Jewish community. We have a responsibility.” Honoring that duty can mean hosting IDF veterans visiting New York for medical treatments or playing special music on Lag B’omer. “I teach all my staff about what it means to be Jewish. They know all about bishul yisroel, shomer negiah, birkat hamazon, etc.”

Opening up a meat restaurant under the Noi Due umbrella had been a vision in Golan’s mind for years before actually launching. “I wanted people to come to 69th Street for dinner and be able to ask, ‘dairy or meat?’

Options are always better.”

When they bought out the non-kosher

“I called Meal Mart and asked them to send me one of everything,” says Golan. “They thought I was crazy.”

served at Noi Due Carne, Fleishigs Magazine created a live article where local influencers participated in a dinner celebrating the hottest dishes at Noi Due. The chef generously shared many of the recipes served at the dinner so you can recreate these dishes in celebrating with your dearest family and friends this Shavuos and beyond.

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LIMONCELLO TIRAMISU COCKTAIL AMARETTO TOMATO GAZPACHO CRISPY BABY ARTICHOKES FLASH FRIED CAULIFLOWER FARRO TUSCAN KALE SALAD WHOLE ROASTED BRANZINO SALMON CARPACCIO EGGPLANT CARPACCIO VEAL MILANESE SPAGHETTI-STUFFED MEATBALL CAVATELLI SHORT RIB RAGU ZABAGLIONE

Chef Eitan Bernath compiled an incredible video of the dinner that you can watch on his YouTube channel.

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RESTAURANT CHRONICLES

Spanish restaurant next door, Golan felt like he was reclaiming a space destined for kosher. The location used to be the home of the famed NYC kosher restaurant Levana’s, which was the first of its kind in New York over 30 years ago. When it closed its doors, it left a void in the kosher restaurant world. “There are good memories here. I wanted to bring them back and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.”

Both Chef Beau and Golan were new to the Italian kosher meat scene. Fresh perspectives helped them work together and with lots of trial and error, they finalized a menu with an array of Antipasti (appetizers), Vegetariani (vegetarian dishes), Insalate (salads), Paste (pasta), Contorni (side dishes), Secondi (main dishes) and Carne (a full steak menu). We can’t forget about Dolci (dessert). Noi Due also has a grill master on staff as well as an Italian bar master who creates their signature cocktails.

comes to recipe development.

“We don’t follow our heads, we follow our stomachs.” He would describe a dish he wanted to eat, and the chef would hit the kitchen, armed with a walk-in fridge full of meats. “I called Meal Mart and asked them to send me one of everything,” says Golan. “They thought I was crazy.”

Creating the menu was an exercise in bringing his abstract vision into a mouth watering reality. “I knew what I wanted a dish to taste like and how it should feel in my mouth,” relays Golan. But he still had to effectively communicate that to the chef. “He would bring a plate back to me, I would taste it and say, ‘"Mmmm. Delicious,, but it needs more sauce.

Customers like sauce.’”

For Golan, the only people more important than his team are his customers. Because after that beef bolognese is licked clean and the check is paid, what really matters is that a customer leaves Noi Due Carne a little happier than when they walked in, with the desire to come dine again in the future. That has always been Golan’s attitude. “We are here to serve. There is no ego in a restaurant.”

Naomi Nachman and Levana Kirschenbaum sharing the night on Instagram.

This was a dinner where phones were allowed at the table

Golan doesn’t believe in a multitude of research when it

Business women and philanthropist Chagit Leviev (@chagit_leviev) and Ronit Raier (@jews_of_ny).

Yoav Davis of @jews_of_ny.

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Jews of New Yor

Vanessa Haberman (@platesandpetals) and Adi Heyman (@adyheyman).

Jewish culture in New York City comes full circle on the @jews_of_ny Instagram page where Jewish life (politics and religion aside) is celebrated through food, fashion, art, music and pop culture. @jews_of_ny creates 3 unique posts that center around one topic. These topics can encompass anything from shakshuka to challah to tablescapes to showcasing a multitude of Jewish personalities.

This is a revolutionary approach to social media. Instagram’s grid is set up in rows of three, so each row of content is dedicated to its own topic. Aside from featuring outstanding Jews that are making a mark in New York, this inspiring social media platform also creates original content and goes live from the hottest places and events in

by connecting Jewish people and exposing non-Jews to Jewish achievements and culture.”

“Developing the strategy was a very fun challenge. After all the research and brainstorming we did, we came to the conclusion that we want to do something unique that’s not like anything else out there,” said Davis. We’ve noticed that most of the pages that post about Jewish life do so in a traditional, political and sometimes outdated manner, so there is a need for younger, hipper and millennial-friendly content. That’s why @jews_of_ny is more relatable and is more relevant to 2019.”

Between mouth-watering images of rugelach, hamantaschen and gefilte fish (yes, they made gefilte fish look gorgeous...

There should be a page like this in every major city.

New York- restaurants, music shows, galleries and yes, most recently @jews_of_ny went live at Fleishigs Magazine’s Noi Due Carne dinner.

Golan being interviewed by @jews_of_ny.

Yoav Davis, CEO of Davis Media, the digital media content agency that manages the Instagram account, relays that the personality backing the page prefers to remain anonymous.

“It’s someone charitable who holds Judaism and New York close to their heart. The idea is to focus on what’s hip, relevant and interesting for young Jewish professionals in New York.”

“I teach all my staff about what it means to be Jewish. They know all about bishul yisroel, shomer negiah, birkat hamazon, etc.”

Davis Media works with many major brands, celebrities and Instagram influencers. “It’s a very interesting creative process. We know how to work with major brands and we help companies and personalities find their social DNA on a daily basis. However, with @jews_of_ny, the process of finding the right voice is very different. We’re not promoting a product, we’re promoting an idea

and we love them for it), comes highlights on cookbook authors like Chanie Apfelbaum (@ busyinbrooklyn), Israeli-born restaurateur Einat Admony (@ chefeinat) and well-known Jewish designers and artists such as Eva Hesse and Donna Karan, as well as exclusive, behind the scenes content of the late Joan Rivers.

The page provides creative, feel-good content and positive vibes in an aesthetically stunning presentation. What stands out most is the clear intention in everything posted. This diligent, smart approach comes through to create a daily dose of refreshing Jewish lifestyle that appeals to, and inspires all ages.

When asked what the plans are for the future of @jews_of_ny, Yoav Davis shares that, “In a perfect world, I believe there should be a page like this in every major city. Until then, you’re welcome to follow @ jews_of_ny on Instagram.”

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"What really matters is that a customer leaves Noi Due Carne a little happier than when they walked in."

-Golan Chetrit (proprietor of Noi Due)

the Farro Tuscan Kale salad

LIMONCELLO A homemade Italian liqueur with muddled, charred thyme. At Noi Due, everything is homemade, from the tomato sauces and mayonnaise, to the simple syrups and custards. “You mean you don’t buy duck sauce?!” joked Levana Kirschenbaum, kosher culinary legend and cookbook author (@levananourishments).

Tiramisu Cocktail

“Slicing the kale super thin made this salad very tender.

I’m going to try it at home,” shared Vanessa Haberman.

TOMATO GAZPACHO A refreshing chilled soup balanced with crunchy cucumbers and a dash of vinegar, topped with a garlic toast. “Summer in a cup. I’m a big tomato fan,” said Naomi Nachman, private chef and cookbook author (@naominachman).

Imagine the magic of combining coffee, cocktail and tiramisu? Noi Due Carne has done just that. Almond milk and espresso infused with coffee liqueur served with whipped cream and a ladyfinger.

Crispy Baby Artichokes

AMARETTO An off-menu item served up especially for the Fleishigs crew—delicate almond liqueur served with creamy almond milk.

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“Fried but not oily, it was my favorite dish”, said Chaya Lichtenstein, kosher influencer and recipe developer (@chefchaya). This popular appetizer is served alongside a caper aioli, lemon wedges and a sprinkle of parsley. It is classic to Roman Jewish cuisine.

Vanessa Haberman, Instagram food blogger (@platesandpetals) stated, “Pillowy inside and crispy outside, just so right!”

FLASH FRIED CAULIFLOWER Toasted almonds added the perfect textural accompaniment; roasted red pepper Romesco sauce added a bright, rich taste to complement the delicate flavor of the cauliflower. Shifra noted that it tasted “like adult popcorn.”

WHOLE ROASTED BRANZINO Crispy, charred skin with equally charred tomatoes served on a bed of wilted basil and lightly grilled lemon and rosemary. “The fish cut like butter," said Adi Heyman, fashion writer and consultant (@adiheyman).

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Menu Salmon Carpaccio We featured this popular dish in our restaurant issue of Fleishigs and were thrilled to have it again.

Thinly sliced raw salmon and fennel, topped with juicy orange segments, crunchy pistachios and tart pomegranate seeds, drizzled with a balsamic reduction. The reduction was a memorable, fresh start to the Italian feast.

Eggplant Carpaccio Chaya Lichtenstein commented, “This appetizer is a true marriage of Italian food and the Mediterranean inspiration.” Smoky roasted eggplant, peeled and pounded thin, drizzled with tahini and silan. It’s finished with pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

STEAK ARRABIATA A perfectly cooked Delmonico steak served Roman-style—over a spicy tomato, garlic and chili sauce with basil and hot, pickled jalapeños.

“Arrabiata” literally means “angry” in Italian, referring to the heat of the chili peppers.

Veal Milanese A big veal chop pounded out thin, breaded and then fried, served with a fresh salad of thinly sliced romaine, radicchio, fennel and orange.

SPAGHETTISTUFFED MEATBALL Need we say more? This dish put Noi Due Carne on the map in New York’s food scene.

Time Out Magazine called it, “a massive one-pound meatball with a spaghetti center.”

Businesswoman Chagit Leviev (@chagit_leviev) shares, “My favorite dish was a simple one, yet memorable for its fun twist. It was the massive meatball stuffed with pasta.

Slicing the meatball open was very intriguing, as we called it‘unboxing-the food edition’.”

Cavatelli Short Rib Ragu Hand rolled pasta tossed with tender pulled short rib in a pomegranate and red wine reduction. “The depth of flavor was incredible and the pomegranate really added an amazing tartness .” -Vanessa Haberman

ZABAGLIONE This is an Italian classic dessert served elegantly in Martini glasses—wine cream sauce over fresh berries with lady fingers on the side.

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CHILLED TOMATO & FENNEL SOUP Serves: 8 The best thing about this recipe is that you can serve it year round, even when tomatoes are not necessarily in season.

The ingredients all together truly shine.

3 tablespoons olive oil 2 white onions, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 fennel bulbs, diced (discard the ends) 6 stalks celery, diced Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons whole fennel seeds 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste 1 cup white wine ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes 2 bunches basil or mint, roughly

chopped, reserving some for garnish Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the onions, carrot, fennel and celery. Season with salt and pepper.

Sauté until soft, but not browned, about 5 minutes, adding the garlic in the last minute to avoid burning. Add fennel seeds and tomato paste; saute another minute.

Add the vinegar and wine; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the whole tomatoes and continue simmering for another 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly before adding the basil or mint, then blend until smooth. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Add water if the soup is too thick.

Chill and serve garnished with basil or mint and a generous drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER ROMESCO 52

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Toss 1 (24-oz.) bag cauliflower florets, we used the Bodek variety, with 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Roast at 400°F for 25 minutes. While cauliflower roasts, blend 1 (12-oz) can roasted red peppers with ½ cup toasted almonds, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoon honey, 1 clove garlic, ⅓ cup olive oil. Spread red pepper sauce on platter. Top with roasted cauliflower. Garnish with roasted sliced almonds and fresh parsley.

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VEAL CHOP MILANESE

RESTAURANT CHRONICLES

Serves: 2-4 This dish can best be described as the most decadent version of schnitzel you are likely to have. It is a mainstay classic on Noi Due’s menu and is one of their most popular offerings.

2 (14-oz) bone-in veal chops,

pounded very thin Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 large eggs ¼ cup chopped parsley 1 cup flour 2 cups panko bread crumbs

or seasoned bread crumbs Corn oil, for frying Season the veal chops with salt and pepper. Prepare the dredging station. In a large, shallow dish, whisk together eggs and parsley. Season

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generously with salt and pepper. Add the flour to a second shallow dish and the bread crumbs to a third. Set aside near the stove.

Working one at a time, press each veal chop into flour on both sides, shaking the excess off so that just a light dusting remains. Next, dip the veal chop into the egg, coating both sides, and letting as much drain off as possible.

Finally, lay the chops in the bread crumbs, coating both sides. Set aside.

Place a sauté pan large

enough to fit 2 chops over medium-high heat. Pour in enough corn oil to generously cover the base of the pan.

When oil shimmers (it should be very hot so the veal sears immediately), add the chops one at a time and sauté until browned, 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve with a fresh salad on the side and wedges of lemon.

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STEAK PIZZAIOLA

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3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 large white onion, thinly sliced 3 jarred roasted red peppers, diced 6 jarred whole pepperoncini,

stem on 6 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 (8-oz) container chopped

tomatoes, (we recommend

Pomi brand) ¼ cup whole capers, rinsed ½ teaspoon dried oregano Pinch red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 5 leaves fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste Season the steak with ¼ teaspoon salt.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the steak and sear until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the garlic to the skillet.

Once it sizzles, add the onions and diced roasted red peppers and sauté until they soften slightly, about 4 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, capers, red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Bring to a rapid simmer, then nestle the steak into the sauce and simmer, turning once, until medium rare, about 7 minutes.

Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest about 5 minutes.

Continue simmering the sauce until thickened, about 3 more minutes, seasoning to taste. Thinly slice the steak and divide among plates.

Top with the sauce and fresh basil.

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TIRAMISU COCKTAIL

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Serves: 2 Dessert and cocktail merge to create the ultimate drink.

1 ½ ounces chocolate liqueur, we recommend Misceo 1 ½ ounces rum 1 ½ ounces coffee liqueur 1 ½ ounces heavy whipping cream Whipped cream, shaved chocolate,

cocoa powder, lady finger for garnish Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Pour into a martini glass.

Top with garnishes of choice.

Serve chilled.

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BOMBOLONI

1¼ cups warm water 1 tablespoon active dry yeast ⅓ cup sugar + 1 tablespoon sugar ¼ cup shortening or margarine 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg 4 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt Zest of 1 orange Oil, for frying Sugar and preserves, for serving

Yields: 16 doughnuts, 32 mini doughnuts These light, fluffy doughnuts are the best way to end a meal. Doughnuts are not only a Chanukah staple.

Stuff doughnuts with Naomi Elberg’s sweet cheese filling (pg. 77) for the ultimate Shavuos treat.

Combine warm water, dry yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl and set aside for ten minutes to bloom.

Using a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream sugar and shortening or margarine.

Add the egg and vanilla extract; mix to combine.

Add the yeast mixture and the flour, salt and orange zest and mix until fully combined.

Knead for five minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 2-3 hours.

Punch down dough and roll out to ¾-inch thickness, then cut doughnuts into desired shape and size. You can use a doughnut cutter, cookie cutter, or the open end of a glass cup.

Lightly cover and allow to rise again until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Fry in a deep pot or deep-fryer in oil heated to 350-360°F. Fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes, then flip doughnut and fry for one additional minute.

At this point, you can pipe fruit preserves into doughnuts and dust with sugar. Store in covered container for 24 hours.

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COOKBOOK REVIEW

FOOD YOU WANT FOR THE LIFE YOU CRAVE 100+ HEALTHY, INDULGENT AND FLEXIBLE RECIPES

BY NEALY FISCHER PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUBRIE PICK Nealy Fischer a.k.a. The Flexible Chef offers a refreshing take on kosher cooking in her newly released book Food You Want for the LIfe You Crave. Modern, fresh, gluten-free and health focused, Nealy shares healthy, family-friendly recipes like Fruity Coconut Breakfast Popsicles, Indulgent Chocolate Granola, and Breakfast Quesadillas. “I’m not interested in just teaching you how to be a cook who can follow my recipes. This cookbook is designed to help you obtain a simpler recipe for success, both in and out of the kitchen,” Nealy explains.

N

Nealy has spent time in the kitchen mastering her style of cooking and shares solid, well researched, tried and true recipes and techniques. In addition to featuring 150+ recipes, Nealy has peppered in tons of incredibly useful and practical information. Some of our favorite highlights include: Help! Your Survival Guide for Picky Eaters, 10 No-Recipe Side Dishes and Turn Your Baking Flops into Successes.

We were particularly impressed by the chapter dedicated to breads and muffins, which includes tons of useful baking tips.

On our list of must tries: Better-Than-Bought Peanut Butter Cups and Rockin’ Raspberry Hamantaschen. Gluten-Free Challah is intriguing as well as her Pumpkin Crunch Muffins. Nealy managed to curate a magical blend of comforting, kosher classics (UnFried Chicken Schnitzel, Sarah’s Meltaway Brisket) and a modern approach to cooking international flavors (Tandoori Spiked Vegetable Skewers, Thai Green Chicken Curry, Carrot Croquettes) that make this cookbook a great addition to your collection. This book is familiar and unique all at once and Nealy’s array of recipes and techniques truly does appeal to the masses.

ABOUT NEALY Nealy Fischer is a kosher chef and the founder of The Flexible Chef website. Her popular cooking videos have attracted a loyal following and her flexible recipes are regularly featured across print and online media. Together with her husband and four kids, Nealy splits her time between Hong Kong, Israel, Montana and Southern California. You can learn more about Nealy by visiting her website www.theflexiblechef.com.

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UNBELIEVABLY DAIRY-FREE CHEESECAKE Serves: 10 to 12 My diners are usually stunned that this cheesecake is dairy free—it’s really that good. In truth, it’s more decadent than I like to admit, and we serve it only occasionally (to my kids’ dismay).

I’m breaking my own flexible rules by sharing it with you because this cake contains one ingredient that’s necessary without exception: non-dairy “cream cheese.” It is available in many supermarkets, but locating it can sometimes be a challenge. Still, some things are worth searching for.

Tools: 10-inch springform pan, electric mixer

CRUST 2 cups (8-ounces) graham cracker crumbs (I use gluten-free—or use any cinnamon cookie, crushed into crumbs) 8 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

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FILLING 3 8-ounce packages plain dairy-free cream cheese, preferably Tofutti brand 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon zest 3 large eggs 1 cup well-chilled coconut cream solids (drain before measuring) 3 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour Pinch of salt Pineapple or cherry compote or seedless raspberry jam, for topping (optional) Preheat the oven to 225°F. Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with cooking spray (or the cake will stick).

Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix together the crumbs, coconut oil, and sugar. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan; place it in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest. Cream the ingredients together, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beaters. Continue mixing until well blended.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chilled coconut cream, and beat for one full minute.

Stir in the flour and salt, mixing until just incorporated.

Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the filling over the crust. Bake for approximately 2 hours, or until the sides are set and the center still jiggles a little bit but springs back when touched.

Turn off the oven and open the door. The cake will continue baking as the oven cools down and should dry to a smooth finish on top, with no cracks. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Run a knife around the edge of the cake, then remove the springform. Top the cake with pineapple or cherry compote, if desired. If using jam, make a glaze by warming it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then cooling it to room temperature (so that it’s runny and spreadable).

FLIP IT:  Make mini cheesecakes in individual springform pans; baking time will vary based on the pans’ size.

Recipe and Photo reprinted with permission from FOOD YOU WANT FOR THE LIFE YOU CRAVE By Nealy Fischer Da Capo Lifelong Books/April 20, 2019 Photographs by Aubrie Pick

 If your cake does crack, just top it with berries and nobody will notice.  Save any leftover coconut cream for smoothies or curries. It can also be frozen for later use.

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CULINARY SCHOOL

ONE OF THE BES INDUSTRY SECR

C A A S I F E CH

BREAD SKILLS. H

e is the original artisan baker in the kosher world.

Chef Isaac’s first official business venture, Epic Bites Catering, was a farmto-table concept in Northern California, back in the days when “farm-to-table” was barely a buzzword. It was during this time that he honed his baking craft—motivated by his love for perfecting bread and pastries that began during his first bakery job at sixteen. Since then Chef Isaac has become a sought-after pastry consultant and it’s a privilege to have him share some secrets with Fleishigs readers.

In this feature, it's all about savory baked goods. Chef Isaac shares two basic doughs: a no-knead option which is great for pizza, focaccia and calzones, as

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well as a steamed bun dough: great for pretzel dogs or the classic Asian bao. These doughs are the building blocks to create an infinite number of winning recipes.

Chef Isaac’s basic cooking philosophy comes through in every dish he shares. He says it’s all about strategy: knowing when to put in the effort and when to take a shortcut, which sauce you should make from scratch (lapsang souchong tea makes another appearance in the braising liquid for the veal steam buns) and which sauces are good enough to buy (marinara for the stromboli and Bone Suckin’ Sauce for the pulled beef babka). No matter what he’s making, Chef Isaac keeps it real in the kitchen and always brings something new to the Modern Heimish table.

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ST KEPT “ RETS IS

CULINARY SCHOOL

Bread is my first love and the first thing I ever cooked.

I always made pizza with my mother from the Betty Crocker mixes, which in hindsight may not have resembled artisan whatsoever, but to me it was and will always be the best pizza I ever had, no matter what I’ve come up with throughout the years. Even after I learned how to make pizza from scratch, I still buy those box mixes every now and then for a bit of nostalgia. That was how my love for bread baking began. When I was a professional baker, the work involved from start to finish, though extremely physically taxing, was always

C BERNSTEIN'S something I cherished. From dragging 50 pound bags of flour, moving huge batches of dough to bins to rise,

shaping and standing in front

of a 500°F oven for hours- the

harder the labor, the more satisfying it was for me. At the end of a long and arduous shift (which was actually the peak of dawn), the crackling of the thousands

of loaves straight out of the oven was a true symphony. An art form that would undoubtedly make people happy. My favorite part about the recipes I am sharing here is how versatile they are and how they aren’t exclusive to meat cuisine. Take chances with the fillings you choose. Be flexible, but most of all, enjoy the process and most definitely enjoy the meal you create.

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BASIC NO-KNEAD DOUGH Yields: 2 large pizzas Serves: 16 They seem like easy recipes at first glance, but those who have tried know that getting picture perfect results takes effort. No-knead bread and pizza have been around for years—this is my adaptation on the classic. This recipe has more hydration that most others out there, which gives for a more supple dough with less dry spots. A scale is crucial for this recipe; exact measurements are a must and grams give you the most precise measure, which is preferable for dough recipes. This dough can be a little difficult to work with, but once you master it, the possibilities are endless.

When using the dough for stromboli or calzone, the sky’s the limit. Sweet or savory, dairy or meat.

Anything goes.

800 gram bread flour 2 gram instant yeast 8 gram kosher salt 650 gram water

GE GUEST EDITOR

Malkie @kissthekoshercook

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In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and yeast until combined.

Stir in the water until a chunky, thick dough forms. (The dough will appear scraggly and weird and you’re going to question whether or not this recipe will work, but it will.)

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 550°F. Using wet hands, fold the dough onto itself a few times to form a loose ball.

If you are using it to make a sheet pan focaccia, dump the dough onto the sheet pan and follow the recipe instructions (pg. 67). If you are using the dough to make pizza, split it into a size that will work for your recipe.

Half the dough will make a standard 18-inch pizza pie or 8 calzones/ strombolis. Portion it out further for small personal pies.

Top the dough per the recipe you are using, and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.

Time will vary based on oven and size of pizza.

WHY YOU MUST HAVE A SCALE: A lot of baking recipes are written in volume but metrics is the way to go.

Weighing ingredients is just a more precise way of yielding the best baked goods.

We use the All-Clad digital kitchen scale. $150 www.all-clad.com

POTATO GARLIC HERB PIZZA

CULINARY SCHOOL

Serves: 8 1 portion No-

Knead Dough 3 Yukon Gold

potatoes,

sliced paper thin 3 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped ½ cup Roasted

Garlic (pg. 66) 2 tablespoons

reserved

garlic oil

Preheat oven to 550°F. Place dough on parchment-lined sheet pan. You can also divide dough into smaller shapes to create personal pies. Using wet hands, spread dough into a very thin round or oval shape.

Rustic looks good on pizza, so don’t get hung up on making a perfect circle.

Place thinly sliced potatoes over dough. Top with rosemary and drizzle the garlic oil all over.

Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with roasted garlic. Serve immediately.

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CULINARY SCHOOL

BEEF FRY PIZZA Serves: 8

1 portion of Basic

No-Knead Dough 2 (4-ounce) packages

of beef fry ⅔ cup Almond Ricotta

(pg. 66) ½ cup Caramelized

Onions (pg. 66) ¼ cup fresh sage Preheat oven to 550°F. Place dough on a parchment- lined sheet pan. You can also divide dough into smaller shapes to create personal pies. Using wet hands, spread dough into a very thin round or oval shape.

Spread almond ricotta over dough. Top with beef fry, onions and sage.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

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The difference between a stromboli and a calzone lies in how it is formed.

A stromboli is rolled with open edges and a calzone is sealed tight and folded like an empanada. I prefer spicy sausage for this recipe, but any flavor sausage will do.

You can take it a step further and add some pesto. Don't be limited by peppers and onions! You can literally do whatever you want. I know it’s Fleishigs magazine, but shhhh! You can add some cheese (skip the sausage though), we won’t tell.

Add some broccoli and turkey if you’re trying to keep it on the lighter side. Or take it the dessert route and roll up with some chocolate hazelnut spread and marshmallows.

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 (12-ounce) package

sausages, thinly sliced

into rounds 2 red peppers, thinly sliced 1 green pepper, thinly sliced 2 Spanish onions, peeled

and thinly sliced 1 jar marinara, plus more

for serving 1 portion Basic No-Knead Dough 1 cup Almond Ricotta

(pg. 66) 1 egg Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

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8

Preheat oven to 550°F. Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add sausages and brown on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add peppers and sauté for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened. Remove from pan, add onions and caramelize for about 15 minutes. Place peppers and sausages back in pan and add your favorite marinara sauce.

Bring mixture to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up any browned bits. Lower to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until it forms a cohesive mixture.

I love to add a bit of chili flakes and a pinch of oregano for an added boost of flavor.

Divide dough into 8 rounds. Roll each into an 8-inch circle (it doesn’t have to be exact) and stretch it out onto a piece of parchment paper.

Spread almond ricotta over the dough, leaving about a 2-inch border from the edge.

Top with a few spoonfuls of sausage-pepper filling.

Roll the dough up as you would a cinnamon roll. Lay the stromboli seam side down and brush with beaten egg.

Serve warm with crushed red pepper and additional marinara sauce.

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P

L E D Z O T GS E R

(pg. 69)

ROASTED GARLIC ALMOND RICOTTA Yield: 3 cups This unbelievably simple recipe will blow your mind.

It can truly pass as ricotta in both resemblance and taste, especially when spread on pizza and topped with accoutrements like beef fry, sliced potatoes, and caramelized onions.

2 cups whole almonds 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons kosher salt Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add almonds and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain almonds, reserving the water.

Blend almonds at high speed with lemon juice and salt. Drizzle in reserved water slowly and blend, adding more water as needed to achieve desired consistency.

You want the mixture to resemble, well, ricotta!

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Yield: 2 cups 2 cups peeled garlic 2 cups olive oil Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic in an oven safe dish and cover with olive oil. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 30 minutes, until garlic is just beginning to caramelize.

Serve with (literally) everything—from steak, to fish, to scrambled eggs.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS Yield: 2 cups 10 Spanish onions, thinly sliced ¼ cup grapeseed oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt Place onions, oil and salt in a large sauté pan with high edges. Set the pan over high heat and wait for it to get really hot. Lower heat to the lowest setting and cook for 1 hour, stirring onions every 10-15 minutes.

Every time you stir, give the onions a taste to see if they are the consistency and texture you prefer.

After an hour of cooking, you may cook onions a bit longer for a deeper variety of caramelized onions.

OLIVE GRAPE FOCACCIA

CULINARY SCHOOL

This is the best focaccia we’ve had. Period. The technique Chef Isaac uses to stretch out the dough is brilliant and is the secret to what makes this focaccia perfect. You can find good quality balsamic glaze under the Tuscanini brand, but you can easily make your own at home. See note on how to make homemade balsamic glaze.

1 batch Basic No-Knead Dough 1 cup green or red grapes 1 cup pitted olives 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves

stripped off stems 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt 1 cup fresh greens (we prefer

mustard greens), for garnish ¼ cup balsamic glaze, for garnish Preheat oven to 550°F. Place dough onto a greased half-sheet pan. Spread dough as much as you can by using your fingers to create dimples. At this point, the dough will not stretch to the edges of the pan.

Leave dough to continue to rise, uncovered, at room temperature.

After 20 minutes, spread the dough again, using your fingers to stretch, only until the point that feels like the stretching won’t rip the dough.

Allow to rise at room temperature for about another 20 minutes and repeat the stretching process until dough can be stretched to the edge of the sheet pan.

Place grapes, olives, and rosemary over the dough and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.

Top with fresh greens, flaky sea salt and balsamic glaze.

NOTE: Bring 1 cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup sugar to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes, until mixture just coats back of spoon. Allow to cool.

It will become thicker as it cools.

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BAO BUNS

This dough is the base for traditional steamed Chinese buns (bao), and can be filled with almost anything. This recipe is also the building block for the fluffiest baked pretzel dogs.

Note: Buns can be steamed and cooled, wrapped tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, and then refrigerated up to 1 day or frozen up to 1 week. Thaw wrapped frozen buns in refrigerator. To reheat, wrap the buns in dampened kitchen towel and tightly wrap package in foil.

Place in a 350°F oven until soft and heated through, about 15 minutes.

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CULINARY SCHOOL

PRETZEL DOGS

flakes, turmeric, or ginger for a different flavor boost.

Serves: 6 Serves: 6 70 grams canola oil 260 grams room temperature water 12 grams active dry yeast 580 grams bread flour 50 grams sugar 8 grams salt 3 grams baking powder 3 grams baking soda Mix all ingredients using a mixer with a dough hook attachment or knead dough by hand until the dough is smooth.

Form dough into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours.

Roll into 50-gram sized balls.

Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let dough rest for 30 minutes before continuing. Roll out dough balls into a 6x3-inch oval, spray with oil and form buns by folding circles into each other to create a taco-shaped bun.

Line a large steamer rack or bamboo steamer with parchment paper and place inside a pot or wok.

Add enough water to reach within 1/2-inch of the bottom of the rack, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a steady simmer. Place buns in the steamer—do not let the buns touch.

Cover tightly and steam until buns are puffed and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Use tongs to transfer buns to a plate. Discard parchment paper and wrap buns loosely in damp kitchen towels to keep warm. Steam remaining buns in batches, adding boiling hot water to skillet as needed.

1 portion Steamed Bao Bun Dough 8 cups water ⅓ cup baking soda 2 tablespoons kosher salt 6 hot dogs 1 egg, beaten ⅓ cup everything spice blend Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Portion out steam bun dough into 6 rounds. Roll rounds and place hot dog in the center of each one. Roll like you would a cinnamon roll, sealing dough well. Regarding the edges of the pretzel dogs: You can allow hot dog edges to peek through or seal completely.

Add baking soda and salt to boiling water and blanch the dough-wrapped hot dogs for 60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon to remove and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan.

Brush dogs with egg wash and liberally sprinkle with everything spice blend.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with Russian dressing, pickled mustard seeds, or whole grain mustard.

CHEF ISAAC’S RUSSIAN DRESSING Yields: 1 ½ cups 1 cup mayonnaise ½ cup ketchup ½ cup chopped pickles ½ cup chopped chives ¼ cup pickled mustard seeds or jarred

whole grain mustard Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste Combine all ingredients.

Store, covered in a glass jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.

1 cup mustard seeds 1 cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt Rinse mustard seeds under warm water for a few minutes. Place in a small pot with vinegar, sugar and salt. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Cool and store for up to a month in the fridge. If mustard seeds have absorbed all the liquid, add additional vinegar as needed.

BRAISED VEAL Serves: 6 Hoisin sauce is to Chinese cuisine what ketchup is to American cuisine. It rounds out most Asian sauce recipes, yet it is complex, sweet, and has a tangy flavor profile that makes a perfect dipping sauce all on its own. Simply add a bit of sriracha and a squeeze of lime to mellow its richness.

1 3-pound boneless veal breast ⅓ cup chopped fresh lemongrass 3 packets (2 tablespoons) lapsang tea ¼ cup soy sauce 1 cup hoisin sauce Preheat oven to 325°F. Place the veal breast in a 9x13-inch pan. Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the veal. Cover tightly and cook for 4 hours. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) on high pressure for 60 minutes.

Serve in bao buns or over steamed rice or noodles.

QUICK PICKLE Serves: 6

PICKLED MUSTARD SEEDS Yields: 2 cups This is a basic recipe that you can play around with to suit your preferred flavor profile. The mustard seeds are mild and don’t taste like standard supermarket mustard. When cooked in vinegar, they have a crunchy bite that complements almost any dish. Add crushed red pepper

1 hothouse cucumber, sliced paper thin 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 Thai red chili, thinly sliced ⅓ cup chopped cilantro ¼ cup chopped scallions 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt Combine all ingredients in a large jar.

Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Store, covered in fridge until ready to serve.

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T GO

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Cookie dough is the key to my heart—as is this delicious grain-free, dairyfree, and low glycemic version. It’s the perfect bite after a heavy holiday meal. While most cookie dough recipes are filled with cups of chocolate chips and sugar, this one hits the spot without that overload. And I love how versatile this recipe is. I’ve dipped it in chocolate and then frozen on popsicle sticks, used it to decorate the tops of cakes, and baked it as the “sandwich” for ice cream sandwiches. The amazing thing is that you can eat it raw! Here are a few more ways I like to use this dough.

3 cups almond flour ¼ teaspoon sea salt ½ cup maple syrup 2 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup almond butter ⅓ cup chocolate chips

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Sift the almond flour and sea salt into a medium bowl, and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond butter. Stir the maple mixture into the flour mixture, until evenly combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Yield: 25 cookies

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Yield: 25 cookie dough balls or 1 tart (14 slices)

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Cookie dough, four ways

COOKIE

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Form mixture into balls and freeze in a single layer for 20 minutes. Once frozen, transfer to Ziploc bags.

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HEALTHY TREATS

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Yield: 8-12 servings

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll prepared dough into 1-inch balls and flatten to form cookies.

Bake for 8 minutes, until firm and golden.

Cool and enjoy. To take it to the next level, dip the cookies into melted chocolate.

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 “Blind bake” the tart by weighing it down with parchment and raw beans to avoid rising in the oven.

Remove raw beans and parchment in the last 10 minutes of baking.

Yield: 25 cookies

4

So Delicious frozen whipped topping, chocolate ganache, or your favorite pie filling.

There are so many ways for the cookie to crumble.

O C O L AT

TART TIPS:  Fill the tart with

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll prepared dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper until it is ⅛-inch thick. Score with a knife to create the brittle shape you desire. (I usually cut 3-inch squares.)

Bake for 15 minutes, until firm and golden. Let brittle cool.

Break brittle along scored edges to create squares. You can also bake the brittle without scoring first to form rustic, uneven cookie brittle treats.

.C H

Preheat oven to 350°F. Press prepared dough into a 9-inch tart pan and bake until firm and browned, around 18 minutes.

Chill and fill with desired toppings.

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E BRITTL I E K

S E IP C I OOK

Eve is a busy wife and mom just looking to make the world healthier, one person at a time. After trying over thirty fad diets, she finally found a long-term and healthy solution to weight loss and maintenance. She lost sixty-five pounds and began the FlavorfulFIT Movement to spread health, happiness and satisfaction. She is a certified health coach, personal trainer and Natural Gourmet Institute trained chef. Follow Eve on Instagram @flavorfulfit, or visit her website www.flavorfulfit.com to learn more about her program and food product line.

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Part 2: Jewish Classic Pastries

PASTRY

BABKA & KOKOSH

A Tale of Two Cakes.

Since traveling across the Atlantic many years ago, babka and kokosh have made big waves.

It’s common for family members to share similar physical traits and these cousins are no different.

Both are comprised of a sweet yeast dough (also known as an enriched dough), both are rolled flat, generously filled with cinnamon or chocolate and shaped prior to baking.

So what makes them different?

The composition of these delights varies depending on the amount of yeast used, the sweetness and richness of the dough, as well as the variety of flours and fillings used in the recipes. Rise time also plays a large role, as does the method of shaping, pan choice, and even the length of baking time.

(Part 1: Kokosh published in the March 2019 issue of Fleishigs Magazine)

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BABKA

CLASSIC TIMES TWO

Most people don’t know that the babka we know now is not babka as it was in the shtetel.

Babka began as a way of repurposing leftover challah dough; scraps were consolidated, rolled flat, spread with jam or sprinkled with cinnamon/cocoa/sugar concoctions and then shaped and baked with the challahs. There was no quest for umpteen layers or gourmet flavors like the decadent versions we see today.

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'.

For more shaping and filling options see pg. 80.

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Regardless of your preferred method of shaping and topping, the result is unanimously delicious. With the sweet and sticky exterior, moist and flavorful cake-like interior, it’s no wonder babka has become a household staple.

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Like sealing a letter, tightly fold your rectangular dough over itself a multitude of times to create many paper thin layers. Once shaped, carefully transfer to a (preferably) long loaf pan, brush lightly with gently beaten egg and sprinkle with white sugar. I, however, top mine with streusel—the more the merrier.

See Shape Up feature on pg. 80. Directions for how to shape babka are titled Figure 8 Out (pg. 76) and The Splits (pg. 78).

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Due to its short rise time, kokosh dough is slightly more dense. It’s rolled paper thin and then generously filled.

Filling choices? That’s easy: cinnamon or chocolate.

Feeling adventurous? Mix them both together. You were a little heavy-handed on the filling? No worries! The messier the better.

THE CLASSIC BABKA

TO

Naomi Elberg, also known as the challah queen, has quickly become an authority on all things dough related, from doughnuts, kokosh and babka, to challah and sourdough. Her tips, tricks and techniques are all tested, tried and true. Based in Detroit, Naomi travels all over for food demonstrations and appearances. Follow Naomi on Instagram @naomi_tgis.

THE CLASSIC KOKOSH

N TO FOLD

Yet as the babka evolved, kokosh cake remained close to its Hungarian roots.

The story of kokosh is simple: It was a decadent cake then and is a decadent cake now. What makes everyone go crazy for kokosh? Its simplicity and ease!

Unlike with babka, there is no second rise. The heavier the filling, the denser the dough and the higher it will rise. And best of all, preparing a kokosh takes half the time than babka, which means that you can satisfy that craving sooner!

SHAPING METHODS

HE

The rich and fatty dough we associate babka with is a transformation from its drier, far less indulgent origin. Back in Europe, eggs weren’t as readily available and oil, an inexpensive ingredient, was commonly used as the “fat” of choice in baking. As European Jews began immigrating to the United States, the choice and quality of ingredients expanded, which helped to mold the babka our bubbies are known for.

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BY NAOMI ELBERG

a short history

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ALL-PURPOSE, NO-FAIL, BABKA DOUGH Yields: 6 babkas 2 tablespoons active dry yeast 2 cups water 1 tablespoon vanilla, vanilla

sugar, or vanilla bean paste 1 cup sugar 3 whole eggs 2 egg yolks 8-10 cups high-gluten or

bread flour 3 ½ sticks room temperature

unsalted butter or margarine 1 teaspoon pink salt Combine the yeast, water, vanilla sugar and white sugar until yeast bubbles. Add eggs, yolks, flour, margarine and salt.

Mix until dough is combined.

Divide into 6 equal portions (15-16 ounces each).

Leave the dough covered at room temperature until doubled in size. If not using right away, freeze in Ziploc bags before rising.

STREUSEL TOPPING 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup granulated or

confectioners’ sugar 1 tbsp vanilla or vanilla

sugar (optional) 6-8 tablespoons butter,

margarine, or oil Combine with your hands until wet, sand-like mixture is formed.

A Note on Vanilla Products Considering the rising costs of good quality vanilla, there are many ways to make your own vanilla products at home. To make vanilla sugar, mix 1 cup sugar and the seeds scraped from 2 vanilla beans or ¼ teaspoon ground vanilla bean powder.

Store in a jar at room temperature for 1 week before use. (Ground vanilla bean powder is available on Amazon.)

A note on flour: When it comes to swapping out white flour for whole wheat or spelt flour, things can get complicated. We wanted to share a tried and true way of getting it right each time and asked contributor Naomi Elberg what she recommends. For challah, she shares that Isaac’s WonderMills white whole wheat flour blend “measures cup-for-cup like white flour. Their not-so-secret secret is their triple sifting method which makes challah rise high with a light and fluffy texture.” Keep in mind that flours that are sifted and flours that aren’t can sometimes measure differently, which is why Chef Isaac Bernstein adamantly believes that for a truly consistent result, you have to weigh your ingredients to the gram.

HOW TO BABKA. MAY/JUNE 2019

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BABKA

FIGURE 8 OUT Yields: 2 babka loaves This one’s an easy classic—the standard figure 8 twist technique most often used in babka making.

It pairs well with any of the fillings above.

2 (6-ounce) portions No-Fail

Babka Dough Filling of choice

1. Line 2 (9x4-inch) loaf pans with parchment paper.

2. Halve the dough, then lightly punch down. Roll 1 piece of dough on a well-floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into an 8x10-inch rectangle, with the long side nearest you.

3. Fill dough with filling of choice.

In this case, we spread the sweet cheese filling and topped it with cherry preserves.

4. Starting with the long side near you, roll dough into a snug log and pinch to seal. Bring the ends of log together to form a ring and pinch to seal. Twist the entire ring twice to form a double figure 8 and place into one of the parchment-lined loaf pans.

5. Repeat process with the other half of dough.

GE GUEST EDITOR

MALKIE'S THOUGHTS ON NAOMI'S BABKA.

Malkie @kissthekoshercook Naomi’s baked goods are insane and I usually gain 5-10 pounds when she visits my house because it ain’t low-fat but it’s delicious. I love her flavor combinations, endless ideas and solid babka dough that works consistently, every time.

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A LABOR OF LOVE. DELICIOUS LOVE.

BABKA

SWEET CHEESE FILLING (PAREVE OR DAIRY) Yields: 1½ cups 1 (8-ounce) container pareve

cream cheese or dairy

whipped cream cheese,

excess liquid drained ½ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla,

vanilla bean paste, or

vanilla sugar 1 egg yolk Place ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until incorporated and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a container with a tight fitting lid and leave in fridge to firm up until ready to use.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE BABKA Yields: 1 loaf 1 portion No-Fail Babka

Dough, rolled out ½-1 cup sweet cheese

filling (recipe above) ½ cup freeze-dried cherries,

pulverized or crushed ⅓ cup graham cracker pie

crust, crumbled ⅓ cup cherry preserves (optional) Spread a thin layer of cheese and a layer of cherry preserves, if using, on top of the dough, then sprinkle the freeze dried cherries and graham cracker crumbles on top.

Roll up babka dough (see more details on the opposite page), place in loaf pan and allow to rise for 35-45 minutes.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Cool completely before slicing.

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BABKA

DO THE SPLITS Serves: 20 Splitting the dough down the middle and then twisting it together yields a lovely presentation, and brushing it with simple syrup keeps it glossy and moist.

Use a drier filling like the poppy seed or chocolate for this one.

2 (6-ounce) rounds No-Fail Babka Dough Filling of choice, (we used chocolate

java, recipe on opposite page)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 2 (9x4-inch) loaf pans with oil and line the bottom of each with parchment paper.

2. Take half the dough from fridge; leave the other half to chill. Roll dough out on a well-floured counter, until 10-inches wide and as long in length as possible, around 10 to 12-inches.

3. Spread filling of choice. In this case, we used the chocolate java filling (recipe on opposite page), and left a ∕ -inch border all around. Brush the end farthest away from you with water. Roll the dough and filling into a tight, snug log. Seal the dampened end onto the log.

4. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze for 15 minutes. Repeat process with the other half of dough.

5. Trim the last 1/2-inch off the end log.

Gently cut log in half lengthwise and lay the halves next to each other on the counter, cut sides up. Pinch the tops together.

Lift one side over the other, forming a twist and trying to keep the cut sides facing out.

6. Gently transfer the twist into the prepared loaf pan. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise another 1-1 ½ hours at room temperature. Repeat process with second half of dough.

7. Bake loaves, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

8. While babkas are baking, prepare the syrup. Bring equal parts sugar and water to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

9. As soon as the babkas are done baking, brush the syrup all over each. Let cool in pan before eating.

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GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE.

BABKA

CHOCOLATE JAVA BABKA GETTING DOWN A N D C H O C O L AT Y.

Yields: 3 babkas 3 (6-ounce) portions No-Fail Babka Dough Dry Mix 1 package of instant

chocolate pudding mix 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 2 cups Dutch process cocoa powder 4 cups granulated sugar 4 tablespoons vanilla sugar Java Add-Ins 2 tablespoons canola or

neutral-flavored oil ¼ cup brewed hot coffee Streusel or espresso

flavored chips (optional) Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough. Reserve 1 cup of the dry mix to create the wet filling. Store the remaining dry mix in an airtight container or in a large Ziploc bag.

To the reserved cup of dry mix, add oil and coffee. Stir until combined.

Spread a thin layer of the wet chocolate filling, then sprinkle the reserved dry chocolate mixture on top. Add espresso chips or chocolate chips, if using. Top rolled babka with streusel and espresso flavored chips. Add espresso chips or chocolate chips, if using. Top rolled babka with streusel and espresso flavored chips.

Roll up babka dough (see step-by-step on opposite page), place in loaf pan and allow to rise for 35-45 minutes.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Cool completely before slicing.

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BABKA

BA

BKA, I S

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SHAPE UP! ALMON

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1. Figure 8 Out 2. Do the Splits 3. Kanelbullar 4. Star Power 5. Monkey Around

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BY CHAYA RAPPOPORT

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A PAS T E L I TO

Spread babka with cream cheese, guava paste and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

+ N A O M I ’ S U LT I M AT E C H O C O L AT E Alternate dry and liquid chocolate for an oozy filling (pg. 79).

Don’t worry—not that kind of shape up. Put the weights down—we’re shaping up on our babka skills, and it’s about time too, considering that babka’s been having a well-deserved moment in the spotlight. While a classic chocolate babka is pretty great (it’s the ultimate Jewish dessert...don’t tell rugelach), there are so many other variations to have fun with.

Use the guide below to pair your favorite shapes and flavors and create one epic babka. Shape up or ship out!

+ G E R M A N C H O C O L AT E M O N K E Y B R E A D (pg. 85)

Spread babka with sweetened condensed milk, shredded coconut, chopped almonds and semisweet chopped chocolate.

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Add golden raisins or your favorite dried fruit to the babka dough before baking in a bundt pan, then brush with a heated syrup of rum and sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

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Use your favorite poppy seed hamantaschen filling along with orange zest.

+ CHERRY CHEESECAKE Use Naomi Elberg’s sweet cheese filling, spread throughout and top with dried cherries and cherry preserves (pg. 77).

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ORY SUNDR IE D

Spread cream cheese and olive oil over the dough, then add finely chopped sundried tomatoes, dollops of pesto, and fresh thyme or oregano.

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Use the AllPurpose No-Fail Babka Dough Recipe on page 75.

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Brush babka with melted butter or margarine and toss in a mixture of cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg.

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d e m a n & s n o ti p o e th ll a h g u o r They’ve sifted th

™ 1 # s l l i m r e d n Isaac's Wo I’ve used ever y brand of flour on the market – from top names to generic and never yielded as amazing results as I have with Isaac’s WonderMills Flour!

Naomi Elberg, @naomi_tgis “The Babka Queen” 100% high Quality Wheat

No harmful Gases, NO Chemicals Added

presifted to perfection no sifting or checking necessary

freshness preserved

with hermetically sealed plastic bag. not vacuum-sealed

5 & 6 lb. bags

perfect size for challah recipes

Highest kashrus standards Read more testimonials at IsaacsWonderMills.com

SHAPE UP

STAR POWER Serves: 12 This beautiful star-shaped babka is impressive—and easier to make than it looks.

Use a drier filling such as the cinnamon sugar for this one.

1 (10-ounce) round of No-Fail

Babka Dough 1 egg, beaten 2 cups chocolate java

filling (pg. 79)

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. 2. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, then cover with a clean towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE.

3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll one piece of dough into a 10-inch circle.

Place the circle on a piece of parchment paper, brush a thin coat of beaten egg on the surface and evenly sprinkle with sprinkle with a third of the filling, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the perimeter.

4. Roll out a second circle the same size as the first and place on top of the filling-covered circle. Repeat the layering process—egg, filling, dough circle—leaving the top circle bare.

5. Place a 2 ½ or 3-inch round cookie cutter or ramekin in the center of the dough circle as a guide. With a bench knife or sharp paring knife, cut the circle into 4 equal sections, starting from the cookie cutter and running until the edge of the dough, making sure to cut through all the layers. From there, further cut each section into another 4 sections.

6. Using two hands, pick up two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice so that the top side is facing up again. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough 82

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so that you end up with 8 pairs of strips. Pinch the pairs of strips together to create a star-like shape with 8 points.

Remove the cutter.

7. Transfer the star to a baking sheet. Cover and let it rise until puffy, about 45 minutes.

8. Once risen, brush the star with a thin coat of egg wash and bake for 12-15 minutes, until nicely golden brown.

9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature. w w w.f leishigs.com

WATC H YO U R B A B K A D R E A M S TA K E S H A P E .

BABKA

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SHAPE UP

KANELBULLAR Serves: 8 Use babka dough and the cinnamon-sugar filling from above to make these cute Swedish cinnamon rolls.

1 portion No-Fail Babka Dough 2 cups chocolate java filling

(pg. 79) 1 egg, lightly beaten with

1 tablespoon of almond

milk or water

1. Preheat oven to 425ÂşF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Roll the dough out to a rough 11x17-inch rectangle with the long edge facing you. Spread half of the filling over half of the dough (lengthwise), making sure to reach the edges.

GOOD, NO MATTER HOW YOU SHAPE IT.

3. Fold the unfilled half over the filling and slice the dough into 12 strips. Slice down the middle of each strip, leaving each intact at the head, and twist each strand of the strip. Twirl and knot the strips together to form pretty twists.

4. Transfer the twisted buns to the parchment-lined baking sheets.

Cover the buns with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise for 45 minutes, or until puffy.

5. After the buns have risen, brush them with egg wash and bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.

6. Serve warm—or cool the rolls completely and store them in an airtight container in the freezer.

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SHAPE UP

GERMAN CHOCOLATE MONKEY BREAD

A

NG KI

M O N KE Y

O T H E NE DT XT

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BR

EA

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover dough and leave out to rise. Once doubled in size, punch down and break into 1-ounce pieces. You can stuff each piece with chocolate, nuts, or jam (see German Chocolate Monkey Bread (recipe at right) or leave as is.

Grease a bundt pan. Melt ½ cup of butter or margarine in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of brown sugar with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.

Dip each ball into the melted butter or margarine, then into the sugar mixture, and place in the bundt pan.

Repeat with the remaining balls, staggering so that the seams are not in the same place. Place a clean towel over the top of the bundt pan and let rise for 40-50 minutes.

Bake the monkey bread for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix pecans, ¼ cup coconut flakes, ⅓ cup of chocolate filling, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, salt and coconut oil.

Separate dough into 1-ounce balls. Roll out each and flatten slightly.

Place scant tablespoon of filling onto each flattened piece and seal dough to cover the filling.

Take any leftover filling and scatter it on the bottom of a sprayed tube pan. Place stuffed dough balls into the pan in a random pattern and drizzle remaining coconut oil over the balls. Sprinkle remaining babka filling over the surface. Top with remaining shredded coconut.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown.

For an optional glaze, mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar with 1 tablespoon coconut milk.

Whisk thoroughly and drizzle over monkey bread.

T

1 portion No-Fail Babka Dough ½ cup butter or margarine, melted 1 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon

½ cup chopped pecans ⅓ cup shredded sweetened

coconut flakes, divided ½ cup Dry Chocolate Babka

Filling (pg. 79), divided 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of salt 4 tablespoons melted coconut

oil, divided 1 portion No-Fail Babka Dough

L

For a fun twist on monkey bread, use babka dough. A cinnamon-sugar filling will work perfectly for this one.

Take it to the next level by using the following German chocolate cake concept.

This recipe was developed mid-shoot. Personal chef Marnie Levy and Fleishigs editor-in-chief, Shifra, were discussing filling ideas that would take monkey bread to the next level. Shifra suggested a German chocolate cake concept (rich chocolate cake layered with sweetened coconut flakes, pecans, melted butter, and brown sugar) and Marnie created it on the spot. The results are the spectacular recipe below.

Considering the coconut in the cake itself, using coconut oil in place of butter in this recipe makes so much sense that we would recommend using the coconut oil even if preparing this cake as dairy.

VE

Serves: 8-12

LE

MONKEY BREAD

Serves: 8-12

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BABKA CRAWL

GETTING DOWN & CHOCOLATY.

BY SHIFRA KLEIN

O

ne early Friday morning in February, I was joined

by Naomi Elberg (@ naomi_tgis), Naomi Nachman (@naominachman), Kayla Kaye (@thekitch_ny) and Naomi Ross (@cookingconcepts) as we headed to Patis Bakery in Lyndhurst, NJ to begin an epic multi-city crawl in typical Fleishigs Magazine style. A food crawl dedicated to one pastry only. The Babka.

Most fascinating was the discussion we had on the way about what everyone’s favorite variations of babka are. Crispy or fluffy? Lots of chocolate or just enough? Crumbs or no crumbs? Butter, margarine or oil? A rich decadent ooey gooey filling or one on the drier side?

Starting the journey from Long Island, we had a lot of time to contemplate everything babka and thankfully had a head start on the crawl with three pre-purchased varieties from places we wouldn’t logistically have been able to fit into our already packed schedule. Those included babka from Chana Sara Posen of Bakes and Steaks in Lakewood (@bakesandsteaks), Babkatoure (@babkatoure) of Monsey, NY (which is actually sold at Cafe Chocolat

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Redefined Coffee Chocolate Babka

Dani Klein www.yeahthatskosher.com

BAKES & STEAKS BABKATOURE LEVY'S PATIS BAKERY LAKEWOOD, NJ MONSEY, NY HOLLYWOOD, FL LYNDHURST, NJ

ONEG BAKERY REDEFINED COFFEE WILLIAMSBURG, NY FLATBUSH, NY

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in Cedarhurst, NY) and Levy’s (@levyskosher_hollywood) of Hollywood, FL (which we had frozen from our last trip and saved just for this occasion).

They were all solid babkas and did not disappoint, especially since we were all on empty stomachs, having started this journey before 7 AM! Similar in their rich chocolate fillings and crumb topping, there were only subtle differences that made each unique in its own way.

Levy’s babka was deemed a cross between kokosh and babka; it was a bit flatter with lots of layers drenched in chocolate, reminiscent of Israeli rugelach. Bakes and Steaks had solid height, generous crumb topping and rich chocolate center that was just on the edge of being oozy.

Babkatoure's dense yeast dough had the least amount of chocolate filling, which Kayla loved and we all enjoyed their phenomenal maple cinnamon babka.

Our first official brick and mortar stop was Patis Bakery; because of the early morning hour, the service took a while, but it was well worth the mega breakfast we had (which honestly distracted us from our true mission of the day).

Full of brie egg toast, kippered salmon toast, authentic French cannelles (first I’ve ever triedcustardy, sugary amazingness) and spot on croissants, the babka almost became an after-thought. We all ordered at least one challah for shabbos and we were able to taste Patis’ bread-like babka lightly filled with their homemade Biscoff spread that provided subtle warm spice notes. This babka is great for those who enjoy a lighter, less-sweet pastry.

At this point we felt like we could go back home. (We had already noshed on two babkas in the car and ate a full Patis breakfast.) We journeyed on to Williamsburg, a mecca for all things heimish. Inspired to perhaps do a separate Williamsburg food crawl after stopping at a local Shabbos takeout joint, Greenfelds (where we bought kugel and deli salads because who has time to make Shabbos when doing a Friday babka crawl?), we found ourselves at Oneg Bakery, a real blink-and-you’llmiss-it kind of establishment.

Oneg keeps their offerings minimal by offering fresh babka, rugelach and challah.

We loved their simple version of babka; very tall and lightly layered with chocolate spread.

Oneg bakery closeup. Photo credit: Gary Lai @asynchronos.

Oneg excels at creating layers upon layers of dough. While Kayla enjoyed the lightly filled babka, the rest of us devoured the extra heavy version. At Oneg you can order babka to suit your taste.

It is worth noting that Williamsburg is home to Green’s famous babka, "which is the brand synonymous with babka”, according to Quality Foods CEO Mattis Soffer. While we didn't have a chance to stop by, if you are in the neighborhood, you definitely should (and be aware that they have a neighboring pizza store with very decent New York style pizza.)

Our final stop was a few miles away, in the heart of Flatbush, Redefined Coffee, a tiny 400 square foot coffee shop located in the entryway of an upscale children’s clothing boutique. The coffee here is astounding, but the babka is it’s secret treasure. It had both the ooze and the crunchy texture of chocolate (made using only Belgian chocolate), with a solid dough and great streusel topping.

Everyone had a different opinion on which babka was the clear favorite, and while it is tough to declare a real winner (all babkas were good in their own right) there was one babka that was unanimously voted the richest, most decadent- the babka from Redefined. I would describe it as a babka meets a hot chocolate lava cake. There was no denying that the last babka in our crawl was deemed the one most worthy to travel for. It’s not surprising that our favorite babka was from the most inconspicuous locale. As they say, don’t judge a book by its cover.

Oneg bakery two babka varieties, light and heavy. Photo by @mikejchau for @foodbabyny.

Babka Types Dough Varieties: • Dense/cake-like texture • Fluffy • Butter or margarine or oil based

Height Options: • Tall Babka/about 6-inches • Short babka (not flat like kokosh), about 3-inches

Filling Options: • Light chocolate (sometimes chocolate hazelnut) spread • Rich chocolate spread • Added chocolate (chopped or chips) • Chocolate spread + sugar-cocoa combo (this combo provides a textural contrast to the filling)

Topping: • Streusel crumb • Simple egg wash

Patis bakery babka.

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12 57 75 77 79 84 85 90

FISH

21 22 23 28

Tahini Sticky Buns Bomboloni No-Fail Babka Dough Cherry Cheesecake Babka Chocolate Java Babka Kanelbullar German Chocolate Monkey Bread Marnie’s Challah

Passion Fruit Ceviche “Crab” Salad in Cucumber Cups Pickled Salmon Halibut Sinye

MEAT & POULTRY 28 29 54 55 69

Spicy Chicken Tagine Liver Deviled Eggs Veal Milanese Steak Pizzaiola Braised Veal

VEGETABLES: 42 52 52 69

Savory Tomato Galette Roasted Cauliflower Romesco Chilled Tomato Fennel Gazpacho Quick PIckle

CAKES & DESSERTS 28 39 41 58 70 71 71 71

Flourless Chocolate Cake Raspberry Rose Macaron Cake Summer Fruit Galette Best Ever Non-Dairy Cheesecake Cookie Dough Bites Cookie Dough Tart Cookie Brittle Chocolate Chip Cookies

SAVORY BAKED GOODS 62 63 64 65 67 68 69

Basic No-Knead Dough Potato Garlic-Herb Pizza Beef Fry Pizza Sausage & Pepper Stromboli Olive Grape Focaccia Bao Buns Pretzel Dogs

CONDIMENTS & EXTRAS 28 56 66 66 66 69 69 75 77

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Bourbon Whole Grain Mustard Tiramisu Cocktail Almond Ricotta Roasted Garlic Caramelized Onions Chef Isaac’s Russian Dressing Pickled Mustard Seeds Streusel Topping Sweet Cheese Filling

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BY GABRIEL GELLER

YEAST DOUGH TREATS

WINE PAIRING GUID

RECIPE INDEX

1.

1. TOMATO GAZPACHO:

mendations for main dishes featured in

Gewürztraminer 2018

2. ROASTED CAULIFLOWER ROMESCO:

8.

Château

3.

Lacaussade Saint-

3.

Martin 2017

5.

3. VEAL MILANESE: Eagles Landing Pinot Noir 2016

4.

4. STEAK PIZZAIOLA: Ovadia Estates Chianti 2016

8.

7.

5. ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS (BOMBOLONI): Bartenura Prosecco

6. SPICY CHICKEN TAGINE:

6.

5.

Herzog Lineage Chardonnay 2017

7. HALIBUT SINYE: Pacifica Riesling 2017

8. CUCUMBER ‘CRAB’ CUPS: Nadiv Reshit Rosé 2018

9.

10.

9. PICKLED SALMON CROSTINI: Herzog Lineage Pinot Noir 2017

10. VEAL STEAM BUNS:

Here are ideal recom-

Baron Herzog

2.

Château Mayne

11.

Guyon 2017

11. BACON PIZZA: Vitkin Carignan 2016

this issue.

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www.AdventuresinJewishItaly.com (coming soon) www.AdventuresinNorthernItaly.com (our sister company) info@adventuresinnorthernitaly.com +1 347 5605848 | +972 525025089 | +39 3286978083

JEWISH HERITAGE, GOURMET KOSHER TOURS & UNIQUE EVENTS IN ITALY Adventures in Jewish Italy offers tailored "Bella Vita" and kosher gourmet travel experiences throughout Italy's most beautiful cities and spectacular countryside, focusing on the fascinating, ancient Italian-Jewish heritage. We are able to provide luxury villas for Passover & year round, and we are specialized in designing exclusive Jewish weddings in stunning locations.

LAST BITES Marnie Levy, a seasoned private chef (@marnielevycooks on Instagram) managed our test kitchen during the Shavuos photo shoot. As if she didn’t have enough to do, she generously baked us all a batch of fresh challah, because she’s awesome that way. Her challah was so good, we shot it immediately and knew we were going to be sharing her tried and true method to produce fluffy, consistent challah everytime. We even made it by hand (see instructions below), which yielded wonderful results.

Yields: 5-6 challahs 3 tbsp dry yeast

(6 ¼ ounce packets) 1 cup sugar 4½ cups warm water

(if you keep yeast in

the freezer, use hot

tap water) 5 pound bag of bread flour

(minus 2 cups) ¼ cup kosher salt 1 cup oil 2 eggs Additional oil for greasing

bowl 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon sugar

MARN IE'

S

Whisk the yeast and sugar into 2 cups water until slightly dissolved. Set aside in the warmest place in the kitchen. (Place on top of or near warm oven if your kitchen is cold.)

Add the whole bag of flour into a Bosch bread machine. Add salt and bury into the flour. (salt kills yeast so it’s important to mix it into the flour before adding the remaining ingredients.)

Add oil and eggs.

Add proofed yeast mixture to the machine, making sure to get all the yeast and any remaining yeast sediments into the machine.

Pour additional 2 ½ cups water into the mixer.

Turn machine on Speed 1 until it struggles (approximately 30 seconds). Then run it on Speed 2 (or 3 depending on which model you have) for another 30 seconds. Finally, turn it to Speed 3 (or 4 depending on which model you have) for exactly 2 minutes.

Turn dough into a greased 8 quart mixing bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap for minimum 1 hour or until it comes to the top of the bowl.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Separate challah and make the bracha, then braid as you wish. Place loaves in greased baking pans, if using.

Egg wash: whisk yolk and sugar with 1 tablespoon water until foamy. Brush gently on top of loaves. Let rise a second time, no more than 30 minutes.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Remove challahs from pans and cool on a rack.

Cool completely before storing in Ziplock bags in the freezer.

A L L H A H C

BY HAND INSTRUCTIONS: Proof yeast according to the instructions above (mix 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, 4 tablespoons yeast). Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk eggs, oil and remaining water. Once yeast has proofed, pour mixture into the eggs and add half the bag of flour into the bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until tacky dough forms.

Add the salt and remaining flour a little bit at a time, mixing in between either with the spoon or by hand until a scrappy dough forms. You might not end up needing all the flour, give or take 1-2 cups. After a few minutes of mixing the dough start kneading on a clean countertop. Knead for ten minutes, until smooth. Place in oiled bowl and proceed with the recipe above.

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