A delicious December!
Chocolate Babka, page 35
Coffee-Anise Stars, page 176
We’ll post from Baking with Dorie on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month (12/13 and 12/27). If you are a blogger, there will be a post here to leave your links on those days. If you are an IGer, please tag #tuesdayswithdorie, #bakingwithdorie and @doriegreenspan. You decide the order in which you bake the recipes. This post will also double as our P&Q (Problems & Questions), so if you have any questions or advice, leave it all right here!
Tuesdays with Dorie 
Just read a NYT article that said “baking a babka is no casual undertaking”. GAH. I want to make this but SO SO slammed with holiday recipes. Any tips to make it more “casual”? Never made one before!
i’ve never made one either, so i don’t have any tested tips, but since it’s made with brioche that dorie says must be refrigerated at least overnight (or up to two days), so i’d just plan to break up the work. you can make the filling and streusel several days in advance as well. then it’s just shaping it.
Not a short cut but before cutting the dough for twisting, I refrigerate the loaf for about 30 minutes. It solidifies the filling a bit and is easier to handle. Don’t know were I picked up this hint.
good tip, thanks!
Babkas may look intimidating, but if the break the instructions into steps over several days, it will work out fine.
You. If you break the instructions…..