Potato Knish Challah

What do you get when you stuff mashed potatoes and mushroom inside of your challah strands? Potato knish challah! And that’s exactly what my house smells like as this challah is cooking. 

This challah is oh so savory, and so good served warm! One of my favorite savory mashup creations yet!

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

3 Maine or Yukon gold potatoes

2-3 garlic cloves

Salt 

1 container mushrooms

Topping

1 egg

Mushrooms

Fried onions {I use Trader Joe’s fried onion pieces}

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 300°F. 

On parchment lined sheet tray or greased aluminum foil, spread out the mushroom slices and bake for about an hour. This helps remove all the excess moisture in the mushrooms that could make the challah soggy! {or use Trader Joe’s Crunchy Champignon Mushroom Snack to save a step, but we just finished our last bag on a pizza!}

While the mushrooms are in the oven, start on the mashed potatoes. I peel and cube my potatoes so they boil faster. I place it all in the pot with a generous amount of salt and garlic cloves. Boil for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. 

Drain the potatoes, but save the starchy water! This helps the mashed potatoes become creamy without having my to add margarine. 

Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and gradually add the starchy water until creamy, but not too liquidy. Add salt and any other seasonings. 

Allow the mashed potatoes cool, if the filling is too hot it will be hard to shaped the challah. I usually do mine a day in advance. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Place cooled mashed potatoes along the log, and top with some dehydrated mushrooms. Pinch closed and braid. 

Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes. 

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with reserved mushrooms and fried crispy onions. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Bun Challah

What you will need: 

Challah dough {recipe here} 

Filling 

1 cup brown sugar 

4 tbsp cinnamon Oil or butter 

1 egg 

Topping 

1 oz cream cheese 

1 tbsp oil 

1 tsp vanilla

Powdered sugar 

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Divide dough into 3 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 4 inches wide. Shmear each section with softened butter or oil. Leave the edges unfiltered to roll up easier. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the oil/butter. 

Roll up each flattened log on itself like you would a traditional cinnamon bun.

Braid the challah. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise for 30 minutes.

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

While the challah is baking, prepare the cream cheese glaze. Mix softened cream cheese, vanilla, and oil together and gradually add powdered sugar until a pourable consistency.

Once the challah is out of the oven and cooled, drizzle with the cream cheese glaze.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Cheesecake Babka

With Shavuot right around the corner, I wanted to make a dairy dessert that was cheesecake inspired! This strawberry cheesecake babka is perfect for Shavuot!

What you will need:

Babka dough {recipe here}

Vanilla Powder Filling

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 box vanilla pudding mix

Cheese Filling

8 oz of whipped cream cheese

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1 egg yolk

Add ins

Freeze dried strawberries

Graham cracker pieces

Crumb Topping

1 cup flour

1 cup powdered sugar

6 tbsp canola oil 

Directions

Prepare babka dough according to instructions here, recipe makes 3 babkas.

Prepare the babka crumbs: Mix crumb ingredients together until crumbs form. The consistency should be similar to wet sand. Add in some of the graham cracker pieces and crushed up freeze dried strawberries. 

Prepare the cheese filling: whip all ingredients together in a bowl of a stand mixer and chill until ready to use. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 (2 lb) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line each with parchment paper. 

Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll 1 portion into a 13x10x¼” rectangle. Spread on a layer of the cheese filling, the dust an even layer of the vanilla powder filling and top with graham cracker pieces and pulverized freeze dried strawberries. 

Roll dough over filling to form a log. Twist log; fold in half. Place into prepared pan. Cut a shallow slit across the length of the log. Repeat with remaining portions. Top loaves with babka crumbs and toppings.  

Place loaf pans onto a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes; rotate pans. Bake additional 15 minutes; babka crumb topping should be golden brown.

Cool on cooling racks. Do not cut into babka until it has cooled, as dough continues to bake even after being removed from oven.

Look at all of those cheesecakey layers!

Enjoy!

{black bean} S’mores Brownies

I love anything chocolate! Chocolate has a rich and decadent flavor, and easily masks the flavor of other {dare I say more healthy} ingredients. I have made chocolate mousse with banana and avocado in it {see it here} and wanted to try something else in a baked brownie.

These brownies are made with an entire can of black beans in them. The black beans give the brownies a smooth and luscious texture. Even better, my picky 2 year old who loves sweets and not much of vegetables or beans devours them!

They are also topped with everything that would go into a traditional s’mores, making them even more inviting to a toddler.

What you will need 

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 

3 large eggs 

¼ cup neutral oil, like vegetable or canola 

1 tsp vanilla 

¾ cup granulated sugar 

½ cup all purpose flour 

½ tsp baking powder 

¼ cup cocoa powder

Pinch kosher salt 

¾ cup chocolate chips, divided 

2 graham crackers, chopped 

¾ cup mini marshmallows

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Place the beans, eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar in a blender or food processor and puree for 1 minute. 

Add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt to a bowl. Add the liquid mixture to the dry and stir to incorporate until no lumps are present. 

Stir ½ cup of the chocolate chips into the batter and pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch pan and top with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips, graham crackers and marshmallows. 

Bake for 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Let the brownies cool completely. Then, remove the brownies from the pan and cut into even squares. 

Enjoy!

Red Pepper Spread Filled Challah

We usually dip our {non-filled} challah in either a chummus or some sort of savory spread from Trader Joe’s on shabbas, like this red pepper spread. So I figured, why not stuff the spread inside the strands and have it all contained in one? 

What you will need:

Challah dough {recipe here}

Filling

Spread of choice 

Topping

1 egg

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

On parchment lined sheet tray or greased aluminum foil, spread out the spread in 4 thin lines {about the length your challah strands will be} and freeze to firm up about 30 minutes. 

Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Place frozen spread on each log and pinch closed. 

Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes. 

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds or everything but the bagel spice. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Slice open and look at those pockets of spread inside your challah!

Enjoy!