Tausi Insider

The other day, I got to introduce my father to babka, a delight he had never experienced before. “I like that pretty well,” he kept saying, which sounds like faint praise but—for him—is actually rather enthusiastic. The babka loaves (one chocolate and one cinnamon) were sent by a friend as an “I hope your bones heal” gift after I recently broke my ankle, but the whole family benefited. We inhaled it all , but I wish we had saved a piece or two for French toast. What is babka? If, like my father, you are unfamiliar with babka, you should get familiar with it real quick. The yeasted Jewish bread was traditionally made with an oil-based challah dough to keep things pareve (dairy- and meat-free), and swirled with fillings, most commonly chocolate or cinnamon. Most modern babka recipes are made with enriched doughs that include dairy ingredients, and you can find babka swirled with fruit, nuts, and even cheese. A simple slice of cinnamon babka with a cup of coffee is, to me, an id...