By Shannon Sarna, thenosher.com

Babka is an Eastern European yeasted cake with deep Jewish roots and great American popularity. One of babka’s most notorious moments was in an episode of Seinfeld: Jerry and Elaine head to Royal Bakery to pick up babka for a dinner party, and when there is no more chocolate babka, they are somewhat devastated to be forced to bring cinnamon, “the lesser babka.”

Meanwhile, babka has experienced quite a resurgence in the past few years since the launch of Breads Bakery in New York, which boasts one of the most decadent babkas, made with a European-style laminated dough (i.e. with lots of butter).

These days you can find sweet and savory babkas across the country and all over the internet, a trend I am proud to embrace. I’ve experimented with lots of babka flavors: sweet, savory, Latin-inspired and just about everything in between.

This S’mores Babka, which is ideal for summertime or brunch or dessert or just because, is featured in my cookbook, Modern Jewish Baker along with several other flavors. But the s’mores is still my favorite.

It’s not the chocolate babka; it might be a little better. I think even Jerry and Elaine would agree.

For the dough:
1 Tbsp. dry active yeast
1/3 cup plus 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup whole or 2 percent milk (or almond milk)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (or margarine), melted
2 large eggs

For the filling:
1/3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs

For the topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
11/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Suggested equipment: stand mixer, three medium sized (8 1/2-X-4 1/2) loaf pans.

1. To make the dough: Place the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Add the lukewarm water and stir gently to mix. Set aside until foamy, five to 10 minutes. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar and two teaspoons vanilla.

2. In a medium saucepan, scald the milk (bring almost to a boil, until milk is just simmering). Allow to sit for one minute to cool just slightly.

3. With mixer on low, add the water-yeast mixture, milk and melted butter. Add eggs one at a time.

4. When the dough begins to come together after two to three minutes, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides. Raise the speed to high and mix for another five to 10 minutes until the dough is shiny, elastic and smooth. It may seem like a long time to mix, but the result is worth the wait. (You can also knead vigorously by hand for 10 minutes if you don’t have a stand mixer.)

5. Place dough in a greased bowl with a damp towel on top. Allow to rise one to two hours.

6. Prepare the three greased loaf pans.

7. To make the crumb topping: Place all ingredients in a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, mix until crumbs form.

8. Cut the dough into three equal parts (use a food scale for precision). Roll out one part into a rectangle. Spread with one-third each of the chocolate hazelnut spread, then marshmallow fluff, and then sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and roll up along the shorter side.

9. Once the dough is formed into a swirled log, cut it straight down the middle so the filling is exposed. Cut a half inch off of each end. Layer each cut piece on top of one another and twist. Place in a greased loaf pan.

10. Repeat with the other two pieces of babka dough. Lightly drape a kitchen towel over the top of pans.

11. Allow to rise another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while the dough rises. Top with crumb topping. Bake for 30 minutes.

12. Allow to cool for five to 10 minutes. Using a butter knife, loosen sides of the babka from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Makes three babkas.

Shannon Sarna is the editor of The Nosher.

To read the complete July 2018 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.