Chocolate Apricot Babka Pudding

Winter demands a hot dessert, especially on Erev Shabbat (Friday night). This one is pareve (free of dairy or meat ingredients, but including eggs) and it goes very well with dairy-free vanilla ice-cream. In Australia I used the COYO Vanilla Bean ice-cream, which is easily nicer than soy-based products. This is an easy recipe, and it uses a pre-made pareve Babka (I used one from Jesse’s kosher bakery). If you are not having a fleyshig (meat) meal, then you can replace the non-dairy elements (almond milk, margarine) with dairy if desired. But you really do not miss the dairy elements, let me tell you! It’s decadent and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 chocolate babka, cut into thick slices

  • 250g - 300g Apricot jam (preferably home-made*, but store bought is okay)

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 cups almond milk

  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup unsalted margarine, melted

METHOD

Cut the babka into slices (like regular bread). Spread the apricot jam on very thickly. Then cut the pieces into cubes, and throw into a large bowl. If there is any leftover jam, scrape it over the mixture.

In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the sugar until pale. Add the almond milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt and melted margarine, and stir to combine. Pour over the jammy babka pieces, making sure to push the pieces down so that the mixture is absorbed.

Pour the mixture into an oven-proof glass or ceramic baking dish (i used a pyrex dish, about 13x9 inches) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Place in a 180 degree oven for 45 minutes. Don’t be worried if it starts to look bubbly in the first 20 minutes. The babka pieces on top will crisp up, giving an excellent textural change to the custardy contents, and the apricot will contrast beautifully with the chocolate. Take out and rest for 3-5 minutes before serving with the icecream of your choice.

Homemade jam makes everything better

*I used apricot-noyaux jam that I had made from Samin Nosrat’s brilliant new cookbook Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love. Samin uses the kernels and marinates the apricots overnight in the sugar - that’s it. Her recipe makes an apricot jam that is unparalleled in balance and flavour. Check it out!

Joseph ToltzFood & RecipesComment