These Decadent Takes on Babka and Rugelach Are What You Need This Holiday Season

If you’ve been missing out on the doughy awesomeness that is babka, then Hanukkah is the perfect opportunity to rectify that situation. So what is babka anyway? (Besides delicious, of course.) It’s a dense, swirled bread, usually layered with chocolate or cinnamon. It’s often topped off with sugary streusel for extra sweetness. The contrast of dry and sticky layers makes for a perfect texture that’s both thick and airy. As a classic episode of “Seinfeld” attests, “You can’t beat a babka.”

At one point the Eastern European dessert was tough to come by in America. Unless you lived near a gourmet bakery or had a Jewish grandma, you probably lacked access to one of the best sweets on the planet. That was decades ago, though. Now neighborhood grocery stores, and even Trader Joe’s carry them, so you can get your babka fix anytime.

When it comes to flavor, chocolate babka is ideal. And nobody knows this better than Breads Bakery. The New York eatery takes their chocolate babka to a whole other level by contorting the baked good into a pie! They intricately braid strands of dough into a unique circular shape and then mold it into pie crust. It’s a creative spin on a classic dessert that we couldn’t endorse more. The amount of Nutella used to create this hybrid alone is a sight to behold.

If you’re looking for more Yiddish goodies to nosh on this holiday season, try rugelach. These pastries are traditionally crescent-shaped, with a triangle of dough circling a filling. Raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, and fruit preserves are all popular variations. But once again we’re declaring chocolate the victor.

For an even more decadent take on the rugelach, we again turn to Breads Bakery. One of their most ambitious creations is this ginormous rugelach-branched Christmas tree. It may seem ironic at first, but honestly what could be a better baked good for inter-faith celebrations! It’s also perfect for people who can’t get enough Nutella. (Did we mention we really, really like Nutella?)

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Spike the Kiddie Table (Sparkling Cider Rum Cocktail)

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Easy Roasted Cabbage

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The 12 Days of Flatbreads for Christmas

Is it just me or is your fridge getting uncomfortably full? While we are in a season of plenty, too much plenty results in leftovers that desperately need spicing up. Yet, the problem with reusing food is that the portions never seem to match a whole meal, right? That is why I’ve started to use one of the sneakiest and most savory ways to transform a fridge, as well as bring a touch of gourmet to holiday events and those many, many cold days in between.

I make flatbreads.

A flatbread is simply a bread made out of flour, water, and salt that is then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Flatbread can be slightly leavened, like pita, or unleavened, like matzah or a tortilla. Leavening just means adding some yeast and allowing the bread to rise before cooking. It’s so easy that the world is full of culturally specific examples such as naan, pizza, chapati, roti, arepas, etc.

Once you pick a flatbread of choice, you can add your favorite (or leftover) things, some tart cheese, and voila! You’ve made a dish that looks fancy, can be enjoyed at home or at your next party, and you are finally making gains toward having regular fridge space. Can I get an amen? Thank you!

So, as we are about to embark upon 12 Days of Christmas—or as many days as the Hallmark Channel has their marathons—here are some flatbreads to help get you through the holidays.

Leftover Turkey Stuffing Pizza

Baked by Rachel

A confession: I still have turkey stuffing in my fridge. I made a batch of gluten-free stuffing and it still smells and tastes heavenly. Thus, this flatbread is my savior for getting my large Tupperware back. The dough for the recipe is easy and I live for any reason to combine cheeses. Get the recipe.

Roasted Cranberry and Goat Cheese Flatbread

Healthy Seasonal Recipes

I only love solid cranberries between November and January, so these babies have got to go. This recipe is an interesting sweet take on naan. Get the recipe.

Everything Mashed Potato Flatbread

Officially Gluten Free

Since I live in a partially gluten-free household, we love this flatbread. I also could never finish mashed potatoes, so I get excited about this fun alternative to a bagel on the weekends after the festivities. Lox, anyone? Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Naan

Chowhound

What could possibly be a smarter method to get rid of that extra can of pumpkin puree? Also, name a person that still eats gluten and doesn’t like naan? Get our Pumpkin Naan recipe.

Roast Pumpkin, Caramelized Onion, and Walnut Pizza

To Her Core

If you were ambitious and bought a pumpkin, this is the flatbread for you. For my money, you need to pick the simplest dough recipe possible. Or, try using the pumpkin naan or mashed potato flatbread above. This recipe can also be used for your leftover roasted veggies. Get the recipe.

Smoked Duck Pizza with Hoisin

Chowhound

This is the recipe for using your leftover charcuterie and/or smoked salmon. I love making this for holiday potlucks because you look like you went all out, you will love eating it, and no one will make you take it home. Get our Smoked Duck Pizza with Hoisin recipe.

Epic Bacon Croque Madame Pizza

Cooking in Stilettos

If you host Christmas, ham usually holds prime fridge real estate in the subsequent days. So, as the new year approaches, cooking your own brunch is a frugal and impressive way to enjoy and part with the hunkiest of meats that you just cannot seem to get out of your life. Get the recipe.

Bacon, Onion, and Fig Flatbread

Chowhound

Figs were a cute way to glam up my stuffing, but they didn’t add the same amount of flavors had hoped, so I ended not using most of them. This Chowhound recipe is a savvy dairy-free take on a fig flatbread. I used baked ham instead of bacon and it was worth many a silent pause. Get our Bacon, Onion, and Fig Flatbreas recipe.

Fig and Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Little Broken

If your kitchen is a mess, you can caramelize onions for this flatbread while you clean. It delivers a sweet, savory, and juicy reward for all your hard work. Get the recipe.

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Balsamic Drizzle

Spache the Spatula

This last fig recipe was too mouthwatering to omit. I pray to find something like this flatbread at every wine bar I go to, but life can be cruel. Luckily, I can now just make this salty, sweet delight with satisfyingly stretchy fresh mozzarella. Get the recipe.

Raspberry Brie Dessert Pizza with Rosemary and Candied Pecans

Completely Delicious

Every year, we have brie and candied pecans on Christmas Day and every year I have thrown that sinfully delicious cheese away. I am appalled, horrified and ashamed that I didn’t save some for what looks and tastes like sheer ecstasy. No, really. I am sorry, brie. Never again. Never ever again. Get the recipe.

For more tips, hacks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Guide to Christmas and Holiday Entertaining Headquarters.

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Essentia Protein Solutions: High Protein, Low Sodium

Already positioned as an innovation leader with protein ingredients, Essentia Protein Solutions has expanded and added Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth to its line of multi-species Broths, Stocks, Fats and Extracts.  Now available in both conventional and organic forms, these new reduced sodium chicken items will further strengthen Essentia’s line of clean label ingredients.

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How to Incorporate Candy Bars Into Christmas Desserts

What, you thought Halloween was the only holiday that has you raid the candy aisle? Please. The Christmas season is the grand finale, your “last chance” to really indulge in all the things before the new year hits and you have to convince yourself to eat responsibly for a month.

Candy naturally fits into many Christmas staples: Gum drops in the love-it-or-hate-it (or is it love to hate it?) classic fruitcake. The red and green M&M buttons needed to dress up your gingerbread men. But as it turns out, there are even more, less obvious ways to incorporate your favorite candies and candy bars into the holiday kitchen. From cute craft projects to creative spins on classic desserts, here are nine sweet ways to remind you this really is the most wonderful time of the year.

York Peppermint Bark

A Mom’s Take

You can go ahead and save the candy canes for decorating the tree. Here, the snackable chocolate bar gets its signature dose of minty freshness from pieces of York Peppermint Patty as opposed to the traditional crumbled candy cane topping. (Plus there’s the added bonus of not having to deal with candy cane invariably sticking to your teeth.) Get the recipe.

Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

Amanda’s Cookin

Speaking of peppermint bark, if you want to get a little meta in the Christmas desserts department, try out this non-traditional trifle which intersperses crumbled pieces of the white chocolate-peppermint candy between layers of chocolate brownie and cheesecake pudding. Get the recipe.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake Roll (Yule Log)

Crazy For Crust

If you’re feeling a little been-there-done-that with the classic yule log filling flavors—raspberry; coffee; hazelnut; Frangelico—a standby favorite from the candy aisle may be just the source of inspiration you need this holiday season. That’s right, I’m looking at you, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Remember, the sponge cake in a Buche de Noël is typically chocolate, and really, who makes a better couple than chocolate and peanut butter? Add a couple meringue mushrooms  and snowmen, and maybe some holly made out of fondant to give this cake more of a festive feel. Get the recipe.

Snickers and Brownie Pavlova

Baker’s Royale

We get it: In southern hemisphere countries like Australia and New Zealand, Christmas technically falls at the beginning of the summer season, so it makes sense that the traditional holiday dessert would be this light, crisp meringue cake studded with fruit and cream. But if you’re full steam ahead on the “I want to indulge because my diet doesn’t start until January” train, you ought to try this show-stopping Snickers and brownie-flavored rendition. Get the recipe.

Chocolate-Orange Panettone

Alexandra’s Kitchen

The much less maligned (albeit famously labor-intensive) Italian version of fruitcake  doesn’t usually include chocolate, but obviously I’m always just a little more excited by variations that do. The rum-soaked raisins that typically stud the sweet, yeasted bread are replaced in this recipe with chopped pieces of your favorite bittersweet chocolate bar. Meanwhile, fragrant orange blossom water and diced candied orange peel help keep the zesty citrus vibes of the traditional flavor profile intact. Get the recipe.

Milky Way Teddy Sleds

Edible Christmas crafting does not get any cuter than a Teddy Graham riding in a miniature Milky Way and candy cane sleigh. Get the recipe.

Rolo Pretzel Reindeer

I Heart Naptime

Or does it? Get the recipe.

Kit Kat “Gingerbread” House

The thing with the classic gingerbread house is that not only do they look too good to eat, they’re literally not too good to eat. It’s more about structural integrity and opulent, jaw-dropping design than flavor. Enter this genius, wish-you-thought-of-it-first idea: Ditch the jaw-breaking gingerbread and rock-hard icing in favor of Kit Kats and Hershey bars. Trust, this solid build is good enough to eat.

Hershey’s Kiss Wreath

Weekend Pursuit

Okay, so it’s not technically a Christmas dessert, per se. But come on, you have to admit that a wreath made out of holiday-hued chocolate kisses totally trumps the edible arrangement competition (sorry, fruit, I’ll see you next year). Anyone want to take the over/under on how full those wreaths are on Dec. 1 versus the 25th? Get the recipe.

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Almond Shortbread Cookies

There can never be too many recipes for shortbread, whether for holiday baking or “just because” baking. That “just because” moment could be a for teatime treat, a gift for a friend, or to finish a dinner party.

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Chowhound Gift Guide 2017: Collectible Food Items for the Nostalgic

One problem with gift shopping for the amateur chef or food fanatic in your life is that they probably already have whatever you’re thinking of getting. My mother—one of the best cooks I know—has four different whisks and cabinets brimming with exotic sea salts, oils, and spices from lands far and wide.

Solution: Surprise and delight with a special collectible or limited edition food item they probably didn’t even know existed. From antiques to limited releases, we scoured the retail universe and secondary markets to bring you fun collector food items for everyone on your Christmas list!

For the Hello Kitty Kook: Hello Kitty Special Edition Kikkoman Soy Sauce

Amazon

Two of Japan’s beloved brands, Hello Kitty and Kikkoman Soy Sauce, teamed up for this adorable limited edition pink bottle collab. A perfect stocking stuffer for the sushi nut in your life!

Click to Buy

For the Satanist: Satan’s Blood Hot Sauce

Amazon

I’ll begin this with a warning: Satan’s Blood hot sauce is packing 800,000 Scoville units of pepper extract, which if you don’t know, is a whole lot. It was also “conceived” on a Friday the 13th in October of 2000, during a full moon, so yeah, just be careful with this one.

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For the Rebel Rocker: Rolling Stones 50th Anniversary Suntory Whiskey

Uncrate

This limited release special blend from Japanese producer Suntory, contains malts distilled and casked in milestone years from the band’s history and a rocking bottle design featuring the iconic lips and tongue logo. Only 150 will be produced so best to reserve one now!

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For the Superhero: Marvel Mini Coke Can Set

Ebay

Coca-Cola is one of the most beloved and collected food brands on the planet. Recently they teamed up with Marvel to release these sleek mini cans with likenesses to some of their biggest Marvel superheroes and villains. The complete set of six will run you $39.99 on eBay.

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For the Elvis Fan: Elvis Pez Dispenser Trio

Amazon

People who are serious about Elvis are VERY serious about Elvis. If you know one and they don’t already have this three-pack of classic Pez Dispensers paying homage to The King, they will “love you tender” forever when they open it on Christmas morning.

And of course you’ll need Pez candy, so why not spring for this cool vintage tin with 54 rolls inside. Pez in Vintage Tin

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For the Sci-Fi freak: “Stranger Things” Eggos

Amazon

We’re never really told where Eleven’s Eggo obsession stems from but we do know that any “Stranger Things” fan will get a kick out of this co-branded box of America’s favorite waffle.  

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For the Bourbon Snob: Papi Van Winkle 23 Year Reserve

Drizly

Admittedly, this is the biggest splurge on the list but Papi is cloaked in lore and demand for the 23 year-old Bourbon as high as anything in the whiskey world. If you can afford it for yourself or a loved one and can somehow resist drinking, it will only appreciate in value.

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For the Sports Fan: Original Michael Jordan Wheaties Box

Ebay

Perhaps the most iconic cereal box ever featuring the most iconic basketball player ever. This unopened box of Wheaties, featuring his Air-ness soaring through the sky en route to a dunk, is a true sports collectors item. It will run you $149.99 on eBay.

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For the Believer in Santa: Peanuts Cookies and Commemorative Plate

Amazon

We all know and love “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” In fact, we can hear the signature piano riff in our head just as soon as December hits. This plate and cookies set, featuring the Peanuts gang, is perfect for any fan of the Charles Schultz classic cartoon or anyone still trying to bribe Santa with a midnight snack.

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For the Reality TV Junkie: “Bachelor” Wine Three-Pack Collectors Set

Amazon

What does any self-respecting “Bachelor” watch-party have? TONS of wine, of course, and it seems the creators of the cult-followed series decided to take out the middleman. The three varietals, Chardonnay, rosé and Cabernet Sauvignon, are produced in California and make either a great collectors item or help soften the blow of your favorite contestants’ inevitable poor choices.

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For the Beer Historian: Antique Narragansett Beer Cans

Etsy

Narragansett Beer, known as “Gansett,” was named for the charming seaside town in Rhode Island and Native American tribe of the same location. Once, as popular as any other beer in the country, the brewery faded into near obscurity during the 1970s until a recent rebrand, coupled with a fascination with its obvious vintage charm, brought it roaring back.

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For the Kid at Heart: Sinclair Antique Gumball Machine

Etsy

What could be more fun than watching gum balls roll out of your own personal machine. The vintage Sinclair-inspired paint job make it a fun throwback/conversation piece, perfect for any funky den or playroom.

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For the Wannabe Royal: Walkers Queen Elizabeth Shortbread in Keepsake Tin

Amazon

The only thing more British than Queen Elizabeth are shortbread cookies in a keepsake tin. Walker’s is one of the UK’s favorite brands, so when you’re not invited to Christmas at Buckingham Palace (yet again), the special edition shortbread featuring her majesty on the box, is the next best thing.

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For the Pop Art Lover: Campbell’s Limited Edition Andy Warhol Soup Can

Amazon

This genius limited edition Campbell’s Tomato Soup can sports Andy’s famous design and color scheme and contains real soup. It’ll run you $49.79 but wasn’t it Warhol who once said, famously, “an artist is someone who produces things you don’t need?”

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