Babička’s Makovec (Czech Poppy Seed Roll)

Date Published: Nov 11th, 2025 | Last Updated: Nov 11th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: breads, Czech, dessert, pastry, snacks, vegetarian
Makes: 3 loaves (enough for a party or one Toby 😂) | Prep time: 1.5 hours | Cook time: 1 hour

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This is Toby’s all time favourite food that his babička (grandmother) makes when he visits her in Czech (next to Svíčková, of course!). We’ve been trying to learn this recipe for years, but true to OG-style grandma cooking, she measures nothing and everything is done by eyeballing it. I can usually get away by guessing the amounts she puts in when it comes to savoury cooking but baking requires precise measurements, so finally during our visit this past summer, we bought her some measuring spoons (which was surprisingly quite difficult to find to Czech) and whipped out the kitchen scale. Thanks to Toby’s translating and our diligent watchful eye on her every step (this lady moves fast in the kitchen!), I’m happy to report that we FINALLY learned her secrets and I’m very excited to add her recipe to my collection and share it with you all! 😊

Toby & a fresh tray of makovec that babi has just made for him ❤️

What is Makovec?

Makovec (pronounced: Mah-ko-vets) is a traditional Czech poppy seed roll pastry. It’s made of a light and fluffy bread-like pastry that’s rolled around a sweet filling made of freshly ground poppy seeds.

(Note: Some people use the term Makovec to describe a square poppy seed cake rather than the roll. According to Toby and babi, they’ve always referred to makovec as the roll.)

What makes this recipe so special from the others?

There are many variations of makovec around. Some people make it with raisins in the mixture, others put a lemon icing overtop. The neighbouring countries of Poland call it makowiec and Slovakia calls it maková štrúdla. This recipe is specifically Toby’s grandmother’s version. Call it nostalgic bias, but Toby and I have travelled quite a bit and he always gets super excited when he sees someone selling poppy seed cake, but no matter how many farmers markets and European bakeries we visit, nothing compares to babi’s version. Her version is made with strawberry jam mixed in the poppy seed filling for that extra strawberry flavour, and she finishes it off with a streusel crumb topping (which I’ve never seen anyone else do!). The ratio of bread to filling is also on point 👌 – too many times we find that there’s too much bread and not enough filling – poppy seed is not a robust flavour on its own so if there’s too much bread it drowns out the filling.

Toby & his babička making makovec (May 2025)

Grinding Poppy Seeds – Is it necessary?

Yes! Poppy seeds are the star of this dessert and it is imperative to grind down the seeds for a few reasons:

Flavour: Grinding the seeds releases their natural rich oils and flavours. Eating unground poppy seed on its own is quite flavourless.
Forming a paste: Ground seeds absorb moisture and is essential to form a paste when we’re cooking down the filling. You won’t get the texture we’re looking for unless the seeds are ground.
Texture: Ground seeds are less gritty and provides a smoother texture when eating.

How to Grind Poppy Seeds

The best way to grind down poppy seeds is to use a dedicated poppy seed grinder. It’s usually about $40-$50 and is worth the investment if you’re into poppy seed desserts. We use this one from Tescoma: https://a.co/d/iUgRhGq. We found it to be reasonably priced with good reliability.

If you don’t have a poppy seed grinder, you can use a clean coffee grinder, spice grinder, mortar and pestle, or a food processor.

If you’re lucky and live near a European grocer, check if they have pre-ground poppy seeds for sale. I see it everywhere sold in Czech grocery stores due to the sheer popularity of poppy seed food items, but rarely outside of central Europe. Pre-ground poppy seeds can spoil quickly so sometimes it’s sold out of the refrigerated section.

Some Myths and Truths About Poppy Seeds

Poppy seeds have the notorious reputation of causing people to test falsely positive for opiates on urine drug tests (remember that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine tested positive after eating a poppy seed bagel?). I always thought that you needed to ingest very large amounts of it to test positive, but on an episode of Mythbusters, Adam tested positive within half an hour of eating a large slice of poppy seed cake and Jamie tested positive 2 hours after eating 3 poppy seed bagels! So if you’re in a situation where they do routine urine testing, you might want to hold off on making this or ask for a blood test instead. 😅

Despite possibly testing false positive for opiates, you won’t actually feel any opiate-related effects or “highs” from eating poppy seeds. Toby has eaten TRAYS of makovec (which is a LOT Of poppy seeds) and seen no ill effects.

How does this happen, you ask? Poppy seeds themselves have no opium content, however the milky white fluid that comes from the seed pod of the poppy called the “latex” is what contains the opium content. There is a possibility of contamination of the latex onto the seeds during the harvesting process, but don’t worry, poppy seeds sold for general use/foods are all washed prior to sale. In fact, there are actually legalities around buying unwashed poppy seeds. In the United States, at least 12 deaths have been reported in association with the use of tea made from unwashed poppy seeds causing lethal opiate overdose! (Here’s a pdf from the DEA if you want to learn more about poppy seeds: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/unwashed_poppy_seed.pdf)

Anyways, if you’re a fan of poppy seed pastries, give this recipe a try! It looks like a long recipe, but it’s not all that difficult, just very wordy to describe.

I’ve had to tweak her recipe a little due to difficulty of obtaining certain ingredients outside of Europe (I’m looking at you, coarse flour 😒), but after multiple taste tests, Toby gave the stamp of approval that it’s just like babi’s! The photos in this post are a mix of photos from when she taught us how to make this dish in Czech and me re-making them in our apartment back in Brooklyn.

Note: To make the most accurate version of this recipe, I would recommend using the grams/mls measurements as this was what I used to measure her recipes, however I’ve also included a cup conversion as well.

I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

*I recommend to use the metric measurements (grams/mls) for accuracy of the ingredients to have it as close to babička’s version as possible.

Poppy seed filling:
- 500ml (2 cups) whole milk
- 250g (1.75 cups) poppy seeds, ground
- 120g (1.25 cups) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 175g (1/2 cup) strawberry jam (or more to taste)
- 4g (1/2 Tbsp) ground cinnamon
- 28g (2 Tbsps) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dough:
- Yeast prep:
  - 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
  - 7g (1 packet) of active dry yeast
  - 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 50g (3.5 Tbsps) butter, softened
- 1 large egg, divided into yolk and egg white
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 350g (2.75 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted (+ more for dusting and rolling)
- 175ml (3/4 cup) + 1/2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
Streusel:
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 50g (3.5 Tbsps) butter, softened
- 70g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour

Directions:

A) Make the poppy seed filling:

In a wide-based pan on MED heat, add in 500ml of milk. When the milk boils, add in 250g ground poppy seeds and mix together. It will thicken as you mix. Once the mixture boils again, turn down the heat to LOW and continue to stir until you get a dry crumbly mixture without any liquid left (see photo) – this can take up to 20 minutes.

Pro-tips:

You can use any type of pan or pot, but a wide-based pan will increase your surface area and quicken the process.
Make sure you don’t have any liquid left in your mixture or else your filling will be too wet.

When you get a dry mixture, turn the heat OFF and take the pan off of the heat. Add in 120g of sugar and 1/2 tsp salt and stir until combined. Set aside to cool completely.

While you’re waiting for the filling to cool, you can start making the dough in the next section.

Once the mixture fully cools, add in 175g strawberry jam, 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 Tbsps cocoa powder, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix well and set aside.

B) Make the dough while the poppy seed filling cools:

Activate the yeast:

In a small bowl, add in 1/4 cup of milk and microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it’s warmed (make sure it’s not too hot or it will cook the yeast). Add in 7g (1 packet) active dry yeast and 1 tsp sugar. Mix until well-combined, cover and set aside. The yeast is activated once it gets frothy (5-10mins).

In a separate mixing bowl, add in 50g sugar, 50g softened butter, and 1 large egg yolk. Mix on HIGH speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is well-combined and a little fluffy.

To the sugar/butter mixture, add in 1 tsp salt, and the frothed yeast mixture (from step 1).

Mix well then alternate adding in 1/3 amount at a time the 350g sifted flour and the 175ml room temperature milk. Once the mixture gets too thick for the mixer, either use a dough hook attachment (if you’re using an electric mixer) or knead by hand. The dough is complete when you get a formed but sticky dough (see photo below) – this took about 5-7 minutes on an electric mixer.

Once the dough forms, scrape it all together, add a dusting of flour on top then cover with a tea towel and let it rest in a warm place until doubled in size (~45 mins – 1 hour).

If you don’t have a warm place, use my fail-proof oven proofing method here.

You can finish off the poppy seed filling (if cooled) while you wait and make the streusel in the next step.

C) Make the streusel:

In a small bowl, add in 50g of sugar, 50g of butter, and 70g of flour.

Mix/pinch/squish it by hand for 2-3 minutes until you get a crumbly mixture (see photo). Set aside.

D) Roll out the dough & assemble:

Prepare a greased or lined 9×13” baking tray.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F.

Once the dough has risen, scrape out the dough onto a floured surface and knead it a few times to remove the bubbles. Weigh the dough and divide it evenly into 3 portions.

Dump the dough out onto a floured surface

Take one dough ball (keep the other two covered with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out) and roll it out onto a floured surface. Flip the dough and roll it out a couple times on the floured surface until you get a rectangle shape about 0.5cm thick (see photo) and roughly the length of your baking tray. Evenly spread 1/3 of the finished poppy seed/jam mixture onto the rolled dough, leaving 1-2cm from the edge of the dough.

To form the roll: Grab the bottom edge and fold the dough up by 1/4, then roll up by 1/4 again, then fold the upper 1/4 edge down over the roll and pinch the edges to seal in the poppy seed mixture (see photos). Gently pick up the roll and place this onto the prepared baking tray. Don’t worry if you have some areas of thinner dough or where some poppy seed filling sticks out.

Repeat steps 4-6 with the other two dough balls. Leave about a 2cm space between each roll on the baking tray so they don’t stick together when they bake.

E) Make the egg wash and add the streusel:

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg white with 1/2 Tbsp of milk and brush this mixture over the top and sides of each roll.

This step creates a moist sticky surface for the streusel to stick better. Babicka actually uses rum but to limit the number of ingredients and to use up the egg white, I’ve elected to use the egg wash method. There is no difference in taste if you use rum or an egg/milk mixture.

Evenly sprinkle 1/3 of the streusel on top of each roll. Gently push it into the dough if it seems to be rolling off.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown (~25-30 minutes), turning the pan halfway through the cook time to bake evenly. DONE! Let it cool slightly before slicing then serve immediately.

Storage:

Store in an air-tight container and eat within 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
To freeze: slice the makovec and freeze in an air-tight container – mine’s still in the freezer from 3 months ago and still going strong! To reheat: microwave from frozen for 30 seconds at a time until warmed.
Note: once you refrigerate or freeze it, the bread firms up slightly.

Summarized Recipe:

Babička’s Makovec (Czech Poppy Seed Roll)

Ingredients: I recommend to use the metric measurements (grams/mls) for accuracy of the ingredients to have it as close to babička’s version as possible.

Poppy seed filling:
- 500ml (2 cups) whole milk
- 250g (1.75 cups) poppy seeds, ground
- 120g (1.25 cups) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 175g (1/2 cup) strawberry jam (or more to taste)
- 4g (1/2 Tbsp) ground cinnamon
- 28g (2 Tbsps) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dough:
- Yeast prep:
  - 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
  - 7g (1 packet) of active dry yeast
  - 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 50g (3.5 Tbsps) butter, softened
- 1 large egg, divided into yolk and egg white
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 350g (2.75 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted (+ more for dusting and rolling)
- 175ml (3/4 cup) + 1/2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
Streusel:
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 50g (3.5 Tbsps) butter, softened
- 70g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour

Directions:

Make the poppy seed filling:
1. In a wide-based pan on MED heat, add in 500ml of milk. When the milk boils, add in 250g ground poppy seeds and mix together. It will thicken as you mix. Once the mixture boils again, turn down the heat to LOW and continue to stir until you get a dry crumbly mixture without any liquid left (see photo) – this can take up to 20 minutes.
  - Pro-tips:
    - You can use any type of pan or pot, but a wide-based pan will increase your surface area and quicken the process.
    - Make sure you don’t have any liquid left in your mixture or else your filling will be too wet.
2. When you get a dry mixture, turn the heat OFF and take the pan off of the heat. Add in 120g of sugar and 1/2 tsp salt and stir until combined. Set aside to cool completely.
  - You can skip ahead and make the dough in this time while you wait for it to cool.
3. Once the mixture fully cools, add in 175g strawberry jam, 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 Tbsps cocoa powder, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix well and set aside.
Make the dough while the poppy seed filling cools:
1. Activate the yeast:
  - In a small bowl, add in 1/4 cup of milk and microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it’s warmed (make sure it’s not too hot or it will cook the yeast).
  - Add in 7g (1 packet) active dry yeast and 1 tsp sugar. Mix until well-combined, cover and set aside. The yeast is activated once it gets frothy (5-10mins).
2. In a separate mixing bowl, add in 50g sugar, 50g softened butter, and 1 large egg yolk. Mix on HIGH speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is well-combined and a little fluffy.
3. To the sugar/butter mixture, add in 1 tsp salt, and the frothed yeast mixture (from step 1). Mix well then alternate adding in 1/3 amount at a time the 350g sifted flour and the 175ml room temperature milk. Once the mixture gets too thick for the stand mixer, either use a dough hook attachment (if you’re using an electric mixer) or knead by hand. The dough is complete when you get a formed but sticky dough (see photo above) – this took about 5-7 minutes on an electric mixer.
4. Once the dough forms, scrape it all together, add a dusting of flour on top then cover and let it rest in a warm place until doubled in size (~45 mins – 1 hour).
  - If you don’t have a warm place, use my fail-proof oven proofing method here.
  - You can finish off the poppy seed filling (if cooled) while you wait and make the streusel in the next step.
Make the streusel:
1. In a small bowl, add in 50g of sugar, 50g of butter, and 70g of flour.
2. Mix/pinch/squish it by hand for 2-3 minutes until you get a crumbly mixture (see photo). Set aside.
Roll out the dough & assemble:
1. Prepare a greased or lined 9×13” baking tray.
2. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F.
3. Once the dough has risen, scrape out the dough onto a floured surface and knead it a few times to remove the bubbles. Weigh the dough and divide it evenly into 3 portions.
4. Take one dough ball (keep the other two covered with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out) and roll it out onto a floured surface. Flip the dough and roll it out a couple times on the floured surface until you get a rectangle shape about 0.5cm thick (see photo) and roughly the length of your baking tray.
5. Evenly spread 1/3 of the finished poppy seed/jam mixture onto the rolled dough, leaving 1-2cm from the edge of the dough.
6. To form the roll: Grab the bottom edge and fold the dough up by 1/4, then roll up by 1/4 again, then fold the upper 1/4 edge down over the roll and pinch the edges to seal in the poppy seed mixture (see photos). Gently pick up the roll and place this onto the prepared baking tray.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with the other two dough balls. Leave about a 2cm space between each roll on the baking tray so they don’t stick together when they bake.
Make the egg wash and add the streusel:
1. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg white with 1/2 Tbsp of milk and brush this mixture over the top and sides of each roll.
  - This step creates a moist sticky surface for the streusel to stick better. Babicka actually uses rum but to limit the number of ingredients and to use up the egg white, I’ve elected to use the egg wash method. There is no difference in taste if you use rum or egg/milk mixture.
2. Evenly sprinkle 1/3 of the streusel on top of each roll. Gently push it into the dough if it seems to be rolling off.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown (~25-30 minutes), turning the pan halfway through the cook time to bake evenly. DONE! Let it cool slightly before slicing then serve immediately.

November 11, 2025

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Golden Diner Honey Butter Pancakes

Date Published: Sept 9th, 2025 | Last Updated: Sept 9th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: breads, dessert, snack, easy, vegetarian
Serves: 4 pancakes | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 5-7 minutes per pancake

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The Honey Butter Pancakes at Golden Diner in NYC has been the latest viral craze. My friend back home in Canada was the first to show me the TikTok and since seeing the video, I’ve been hearing about this place non-stop. Although I’m not a huge fan of pancakes, I am however OBSESSED with the honey butter chips that this dish was inspired from. If you’ve never had the chips, you should definitely try it before going – it’s sweet, it’s savoury, it’s umami, it’s everything!

After getting off two trains and waiting 2 hours for a table on a weekday, we were finally seated. I’m glad to report that their Honey Butter Pancakes were indeed worth it. The honey butter syrup really does taste just like the chips and the thick but light and fluffy pancakes were the perfect texture to carry the heavy syrup. It comes in a single or double serving. I’d recommend the single – it’s quite heavy and after a while it can be a bit much if you don’t have a sweet tooth. You can read the rest of my review on the diner and some other local Manhattan Chinatown eats here.

The Ultimate Guide to a Manhattan Chinatown Food Crawl – bring cash!

Manhattan Chinatown is full of amazing authentic Asian food but in a neighbourhood full of Chinese signage and shop keepers that barely speak English, it can be daunting to find the best food spots amongst the literal hundreds of restaurants in this neighbourhood. This food guide highlights some of my favourite places to eat in Chinatown…

September 2, 2025September 11, 2025

Since visiting Golden Diner, I added the Honey Butter pancakes on my list of things to try and recreate, but lucky for me, chef and owner Sam Yoo already shared his recipe through NYT Cooking. After following his recipe to the tee, I made a few adjustments to streamline the cooking process and also dissected out the ingredients list for more clarity. I’ve shared them in this recipe below.

A Breakdown of the Golden Diner Pancakes:

There are 4 components to the pancakes at Golden Diner:

The pancakes, of course – these are beautifully light and fluffy pancakes that perfectly soaks up the honey butter syrup. The batter goes through a fermentation phase (called the preferment) that gives it an extra depth of flavour and also a better rise.
The Honey Butter Syrup – this is the star of the show. The genius combination of maple syrup, honey, and soy sauce makes the perfect blend of sweet, umami, and savoury.
Maple Honey Butter (optional) – this topping is made using similar ingredients as the honey butter syrup, minus the soy sauce. It’s easy to make, but honestly, the honey butter syrup is already so flavourful with the same flavour profile that it masks the taste of this maple honey butter. Unless I’m eating this butter alone, I can barely notice it. I’ve included it in this recipe anyway to keep it true to how they serve it at Golden Diner, but regular butter would suffice in my opinion, so I’ve noted this as an “optional” component in the dish.
Berry Compote (optional) – this is an optional add-on at Golden Diner for an extra $4. We didn’t have it originally but after making it at home it was a good choice to omit it. Although the Berry Compote is delicious, I found that the bold berry flavours completely masks the flavours of the honey butter syrup, which is the whole point of this dish. If you’re going to add the Berry Compote, you might as well just use regular maple syrup on the dish.

In summary, although there are 4 components of this dish, I find that the only essential two are the fluffy pancakes and the honey butter syrup. I tend to skip making the maple honey butter and just use regular butter instead and if I’m making the berry compote (which is Toby’s favourite part), I’ll pair it with regular maple syrup.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Equipment you’ll need:

One or two small non-stick pans (16cm/6.5-7 inch diameter)
- Two will make your life easier and cook the pancakes faster, but one is enough if you don’t care about speed.

Ingredients you’ll need:

Pancake Batter:
- Pre-Ferment:
  - 2.25 tsps (7g or one 1/4 oz packet) active dry yeast (instant yeast is fine too)
  - 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
  - 1.25 cups (300g) buttermilk (or mix 1.25cups whole milk + 1.25 Tbsps lemon juice, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it lightly thickens)
  - 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsps (28g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsps (5g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60g) neutral-tasting oil (ie. canola, vegetable…etc.)
Maple Honey Syrup:
- 1/2 cup (113g or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (100g) honey
- 1.5 Tbsps (22g) maple syrup
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1.5 Tbsps water
Maple Honey Butter (optional):
- 1/2 cup (113g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 Tbsps (57g) honey
- 2 Tbsps (28g) pure maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp fine salt
Berry Compote (optional):
- 14oz (400g) mixed berries (ie. blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), cut to the same size as the small berries
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsps cornstarch
Zest of 1 lemon for garnish

Directions:

A) Make the Pancake Batter:

Pre-Ferment the batter (this step helps the pancakes have better rise, with deeper flavour by a fermentation process):

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add in the 1.25 cups buttermilk with 1/4 cup water. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until lukewarm (~38-40˚C/100-104˚F). (If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, mix 1.25 cups of whole milk with 1.25 Tbsps of lemon juice and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it slightly thickens/clumps.)

If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1.25cups whole milk with 1.25Tbsp lemon juice.

You can also do this in a small saucepan on LOW-MED heat and heat until it becomes lukewarm.

2. Whisk the 2.25 tsp yeast and 1 cup (130g) flour into the warmed buttermilk/water mixture until smooth.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.

Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.

You can make the maple honey syrup, butter, and berry compote in this time.

Finishing off the batter:

4. After 1 hour check on the batter and give it a stir. It will have risen a little and formed clumps.

After 1 hour it will have risen a little and formed clumps.

5. In a separate small bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients for the batter: 1 cup (130g) of flour, 2 Tbsps (28g) sugar, 3/4 tsps (5g) baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.

Dry ingredients for the rest of the batter

6. In another larger mixing bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs and 1/4 cup neutral oil until smooth. Add in the pre-ferment batter into the egg/oil mixture, then slowly add in the combined dry ingredients prepared in the previous step (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt). Gently stir with the whisk until the dry ingredients are incorporated, it’s okay if the batter is lumpy.

B) Make the Maple Honey Syrup:

In a small saucepan on LOW-MED heat, add in the 1/2 cup (113g) butter, 1/3 cup (100g) honey, 1.5 Tbsps (24g) maple syrup, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Whisk until the butter melts completely.

Add 1.5 Tbsps water and continue whisking until emulsified then reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep warm until ready to use.

Melt butter with honey, soy, maple syrup, and salt

C) Make the Maple Honey Butter (optional):

In a bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup (113g) softened butter, 3 Tbsps (57g) honey, 2 Tbsps (28g) maple syrup, and 3/4 tsps salt. Keep at room temperature if using within a few hours, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Pro-tip for storing leftover butter: spoon out the butter onto plastic wrap and roll into a log then refrigerate. Once the butter firms up, you can slice it and use as needed!

D) Make the Berry Compote (optional):

In a bowl, add in the mixed berries, 1/3 cup (67g) sugar, and 1.5 tsps cornstarch. Gently mix until the berries are evenly coated.

Heat a deep pan on HIGH heat. Splash a drop of water onto the pan and if it sizzles right away, then the pan is ready. Add the berry mixture from the previous step and cook until the blueberries are soft and easy to squish (~3-5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

E) Cook the Pancakes:

Heat one or two small non-stick pans (16cm/6.5-7 inch diameter) on MED heat.

Once the pan has heated up, pour in 1 ladle of batter into the pan, which should fill up about 1/3 of the depth of the pan.

Let the batter cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges are cooked (see photo), then gently loosen the pancake from underneath and flip it over. Turn the heat down to LOW and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the center is cooked (the internal temp will by 31-32˚C/88-90˚F).

Note the cooked edges will separate from the edge of the pan

Pro-tip: It can be tricky to flip a pancake when it’s in a small pan, so here are a few cheat ways to make it easier:

Method 1: If you have two of the same size pans, you can loosen the pancake first, then place the other skillet over top and directly flip it into the other pan and continue cooking.

Method 1: Use two small pans and flip onto each other (make sure to loosen the pancake first!)

Method 2: You could alternatively flip it into a large base non-stick pan and continue to cook since the pancake should hold its shape from the first pan. Tuck in any loose batter into the pancake.

Method 2: Flip the pancake onto a larger heated pan

Method 3: If your small pans are oven/broil-safe, you can just pop the pan under the broiler on LOW until it cooks through without having to actually flip it. I haven’t tried this method before, but this was how I saw them do it at Golden Diner for a perfectly shaped pancake each time.

Repeat this process for the remaining pancakes, ensuring you heat up the pan each time between pancakes.

F) To Serve:

Place 1 or 2 pancakes onto a plate and evenly drench the maple honey syrup over top right away. Spoon the berry compote on top (if using) then a dollop of the maple honey butter (if using) over the berries. Sprinkle some fresh lemon zest over top and serve immediately! Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Golden Diner Honey Butter Pancakes

Equipment you’ll need:

One or two small non-stick pans (16cm/6.5-7 inch diameter)
- Two will make your life easier and cook the pancakes faster, but one is enough if you don’t care about speed.

Ingredients you’ll need:

Pancake Batter:
- Pre-Ferment:
  - 2.25 tsps (7g or one 1/4 oz packet) active dry yeast (instant yeast is fine too)
  - 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
  - 1.25 cups (300g) buttermilk (or mix 1.25cups whole milk + 1.25 Tbsps lemon juice, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it lightly thickens)
  - 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsps (28g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsps (5g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60g) neutral-tasting oil (ie. canola, vegetable…etc.)
Maple Honey Syrup:
- 1/2 cup (113g or 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (100g) honey
- 1.5 Tbsps (22g) maple syrup
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1.5 Tbsps water
Maple Honey Butter (optional):
- 1/2 cup (113g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 Tbsps (57g) honey
- 2 Tbsps (28g) pure maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp fine salt
Berry Compote (optional):
- 14oz (400g) mixed berries (ie. blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), cut to the same size as the small berries
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsps cornstarch
Zest of 1 lemon for garnish

Directions:

A) Make the Pancake Batter:

Pre-Ferment the batter (this step helps the pancakes have better rise, with deeper flavour by a fermentation process):
- 1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add in the 1.25 cups buttermilk with 1/4 cup water. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until lukewarm (~38-40˚C/100-104˚F).
  - (If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, mix 1.25 cups of whole milk with 1.25 Tbsps of lemon juice and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it slightly thickens/clumps.)
  - You can also do this in a small saucepan on LOW-MED heat and heat until it becomes lukewarm.
- 2. Whisk the 2.25 tsp yeast and 1 cup (130g) flour into the warmed buttermilk/water mixture until smooth.
- 3. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
  - You can make the maple honey syrup, butter, and berry compote in this time.
Finishing off the batter:
- 4. After 1 hour check on the batter and give it a stir. It will have risen a little and formed clumps.
- 5. In a separate small bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients for the batter: 1 cup (130g) of flour, 2 Tbsps (28g) sugar, 3/4 tsps (5g) baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.
- 6. In another larger mixing bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs and 1/4 cup neutral oil until smooth. Add in the pre-ferment batter into the egg/oil mixture, then slowly add in the combined dry ingredients prepared in the previous step (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt). Gently stir with the whisk until the dry ingredients are incorporated, it’s okay if the batter is lumpy.

B) Make the Maple Honey Syrup:

In a small saucepan on LOW-MED heat, add in the 1/2 cup (113g) butter, 1/3 cup (100g) honey, 1.5 Tbsps (24g) maple syrup, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Whisk until the butter melts completely.
Add 1.5 Tbsps water and continue whisking until emulsified then reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep warm until ready to use.

C) Make the Maple Honey Butter (optional):

In a bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup (113g) softened butter, 3 Tbsps (57g) honey, 2 Tbsps (28g) maple syrup, and 3/4 tsps salt. Keep at room temperature if using within a few hours, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Pro-tip for storing leftover butter: spoon out the butter onto plastic wrap and roll into a log then refrigerate. Once the butter firms up, you can slice it and use as needed!

D) Make the Berry Compote (optional):

In a bowl, add in the mixed berries, 1/3 cup (67g) sugar, and 1.5 tsps cornstarch. Gently mix until the berries are evenly coated.
Heat a deep pan on HIGH heat. Splash a drop of water onto the pan and if it sizzles right away, then the pan is ready. Add the berry mixture from the previous step and cook until the blueberries are soft and easy to squish (~3-5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

E) Cook the Pancakes:

Heat one or two small non-stick pans (16cm/6.5-7 inch diameter) on MED heat.
Once the pan has heated up, pour in 1 ladle of batter into the pan, which should fill up about 1/3 of the depth of the pan.
Let the batter cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges are cooked (see photo), then gently loosen the pancake from underneath and flip it over. Turn the heat down to LOW and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the center is cooked (the internal temp will by 31-32˚C/88-90˚F).
- Pro-tip: It can be tricky to flip a pancake when it’s in a small pan, so here are a few cheat ways to make it easier:
  - Method 1: If you have two of the same size pans, you can loosen the pancake first, then place the other skillet over top and directly flip it into the other pan and continue cooking.
  - Method 2: You could alternatively flip it into a large base non-stick pan and continue to cook since the pancake should hold its shape from the first pan. Tuck in any loose batter into the pancake.
  - Method 3: If your small pans are oven/broil-safe, you can just pop the pan under the broiler on LOW until it cooks through without having to actually flip it. I haven’t tried this method before, but this was how I saw them do it at Golden Diner for a perfectly shaped pancake each time.
Repeat this process for the remaining pancakes, ensuring you heat up the pan each time between pancakes.

F) To Serve:

September 9, 2025September 9, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

Dubai Chocolate Bars

Date Published: April 6th, 2025 | Last Updated: April 6th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, dessert
Makes: 6 chocolate bars (in the specified molds) | Prep time: 15 mins | Total time: 1 hour

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My coworker Joe was the one that put me on the viral Dubai Chocolate Bars. I’m not much of a TikTokker so I had never heard of them until he brought it up, and then suddenly within the next two weeks I was seeing these chocolate bars everywhere. An NYC nut shop was importing them from Dubai and was selling them for $16 for 1 bar! It was insane. It was ridiculous, but out of curiosity we got suckered into the hype and bought a bar. Not many things live up to the craze, but this chocolate bar was SERIOUSLY SO GOOD. I’m not sure if it was $16 good, but it was pretty close.

A Dubai Chocolate Bar is a milk chocolate bar with a crunchy pistachio paste filling. After some googling, I found a few vague copycat recipes and decided to try my own hand at it. It was a messy process (when is it ever not when working with melted chocolate 🥲) but after a few tweaks and portioning, it came out perfect! I had some leftover store-bought $16 Dubai Chocolate Bar and compared it with my own homemade version and in a blind taste test, Toby picked my version! 😁 I’d say that’s a pretty big win. So here I am, sharing the recipe with you all!

Some tools you’ll need:

Chocolate mold – you can use any kind of silicon chocolate mold you wish. I used this one from Amazon which makes 6 medium-sized bars at a time. If you choose to use a larger mold to make larger chocolate bars, keep in mind that you will have to increase the portions in the recipe to account for the difference.

Metal rack – to allow for excess chocolate to drip out of your molds. Any kind of rack will do.

A Breakdown of the Ingredients:

Kataifi pastry, milk chocolate melts, and pistachio cream

Kataifi pastry is essentially shredded or spun phyllo dough that gives a lovely crunch and holds its texture even when sitting within a paste for long periods of time. It actually looks just like dried rice vermicelli to me. It’s a common ingredient used in Middle Eastern desserts and can be found in specialty grocery stores. I used the Alkis brand that can be found here.

Pistachio Cream or Pistachio Spread is blended pistachios in a paste form with added ingredients to make it smooth and creamy. I like to use the Pisti Pistachio Cream that’s imported from Italy, but sometimes this can be a bit hard to find so I’ve also shared a recipe to make your own that can be found here. It’s not quite the same but will yield equally delicious results. Whichever kind of pistachio cream you use, make sure it’s good quality that’s strong in pistachio flavour.

Milk Chocolate – whatever brand you choose, treat yourself and get a higher grade milk chocolate. You can use chocolate chips, but I prefer chocolate melts for easier melting. My go-to brand for this recipe is the Ghirardelli milk chocolate wafers – it tends to be more expensive but it’s soooo good 😬.

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. It’s used in this recipe to add extra richness and fluidity of the filling due to the natural oils from the sesame seeds. It can be found in most grocery stores these days but if you can’t seem to find it, you can make it yourself by blending up toasted white sesame seeds with a neutral oil in a 2:1 ratio with a pinch of salt in a high speed blender until you get a smooth paste.

Happy cooking!

Tools you’ll need:

Chocolate mold – I use this one
Cooling rack with a tray below

Ingredients you’ll need:

50g of kataifi pastry – I use this one
20g unsalted butter
400g of milk chocolate – I use this one
Pinch of salt
120g Pistachio cream or spread – I use this one or you can make your own here
7g tahini

Directions:

Prepare the kataifi pastry:

Place the kataifi pastry in a bowl and crush it by hand until you have small pieces, roughly 3mm long.

Melt the 20g of butter in a pan on MED heat and add in the kataifi pastry. Stir and toast the pastry until golden brown (~5 mins). Turn off the heat and place the toasted pastry in a bowl until cooled and ready to use.

Prepare the chocolate mold:

Melt/temper the chocolate by putting it on a double boiler: In a small sauce pan, fill up 1/3 of the pan with water and let it come to a boil. Fit a glass or heat-proof bowl over top the boiling water and add in the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate has completely melted and it reaches 100˚F/38˚C.

Set up double boiler by boiling 1/3 pan of water

Alternatively, you can also microwave the chocolate 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C.

Pour chocolate into the molds, making sure you cover all edges and the sides as well.

Make sure you cover all the edges with chocolate

Prepare a clean rack over a tray and flip the chocolate-coated mold upside down on the rack to let the excess chocolate drip out. Let it drip for a few minutes then turn back over. Keep the excess chocolate for the final step.

Make sure all the edges are covered and clean up the excess

Let the chocolate set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until solidified.

Make the filling: In a mixing bowl, mix together the pistachio cream, tahini, and a pinch of salt. Then add in the cooled toasted kataifi pastry. Mix thoroughly.

Spoon the filling into the solidified chocolate molds, spreading it evenly to the edges.

Melt/temper the excess chocolate (from step 2) again by either putting it on a double boiler or microwave 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C. Pour it into the mold over the filling and spread out evenly. Lightly bang the mold on the table to release any air bubbles, then refrigerate until solid. (20-25mins).

Once the chocolate has solidified, gently remove them from the molds. Clean up any edges with a knife.

Done! Eat immediately or keep refrigerated.

Summarized Recipe:

Dubai Chocolate Bars

Tools you’ll need:

Chocolate mold – I use this one
Cooling rack with a tray below

Ingredients:

50g of kataifi pastry – I use this one
20g unsalted butter
400g of milk chocolate – I use this one
Pinch of salt
120g Pistachio cream or spread – I use this one or you can make your own here
7g tahini

Directions:

Prepare the kataifi pastry: Place the kataifi pastry in a bowl and crush it by hand until you have small pieces, roughly 3mm long. Melt the butter in a pan on MED heat and add in the kataifi pastry. Stir and toast the pastry until golden brown (~5 mins). Turn off the heat and place the toasted pastry in a bowl until cooled and ready to use.
Prepare the chocolate mold:
- Melt/temper the chocolate by either putting it on a double boiler or microwave 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C.
- Pour chocolate into the molds, making sure you cover all edges and the sides as well. Bang the mold on the table to release any bubbles and to ensure even distribution.
- Prepare a clean rack over a tray and flip the chocolate-coated mold upside down on the rack to let the excess chocolate drip out. Let it drip for a few minutes then turn back over. Keep the excess chocolate for the final step.
- Let the chocolate set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until solidified.
Make the filling: In a mixing bowl, mix together the pistachio cream, tahini, and a pinch of salt. Then add in the cooled toasted kataifi pastry. Mix thoroughly.
Spoon the filling into the solidified chocolate molds, spreading it evenly to the edges.
Melt/temper the excess chocolate (from step 2) again by either putting it on a double boiler or microwave 30 seconds at a time until it reaches 100˚F/38˚C. Pour it into the mold over the filling and spread out evenly. Lightly bang the mold on the table to release any air bubbles, then refrigerate until solid. (20-25mins).
Once the chocolate has solidified, gently remove them from the molds. Done! Eat immediately or keep refrigerated.

April 6, 2025February 15, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

Garlic Soy Sauce Paste/Dressing

Date Published: April 16th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 16th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: easy, Asian, quick, Taiwanese, <15 mins, sauces
Serves: 1.5 cups of sauce | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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Soy sauce paste is one of the most popular sauces you’ll find in Taiwanese street food, often drizzled over a wide variety of dishes including fried fish cake tempura, century egg with silken tofu, dan bing, sautéed vegetables…the list goes on! It’s so versatile, yet so difficult to find outside of Taiwan.

Soy sauce paste is more than just thickened soy sauce – it’s lightly sweetened but still maintains the umami profile. It’s a little similar to oyster sauce – in fact, some people use it interchangeably with vegetarian/mushroom oyster sauce if soy sauce paste is not readily available.

This recipe is a garlic version of the classic soy sauce paste which in my opinion makes it even better! It’s quick and easy, and the sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week – just give it a shake each time you’re about to use it!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Garlic puree:
- 4 cloves (25g) garlic, peeled with fibrous ends cut off
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
Soy sauce paste:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (ie. kikkoman)
- 1/4 cup (60ml water)
- 2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 Tbsps cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar

Directions:

Make the garlic purée: Add the garlic with 1/2 cup of water into a high speed blender. Blend until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.

Add the soy sauce paste ingredients to a saucepan

Make the soy sauce paste: In a small saucepan on MED heat, add in the soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let the sauce come to a light simmer. While you’re waiting, in a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2 Tbsps of water. When the sauce has come to a simmer, add in the cornstarch/water mixture and continuously whisk for about 1 minute or until the mixture comes to a gloopy paste. Turn off the heat and set aside to let cool.

Once the soy sauce paste has slightly cooled, add in the garlic purée (from step 1) and 2 Tbsps of sugar. Mix it all together and taste to adjust salt or sugar. Done! Keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Summarized Recipe:

Garlic Soy Sauce Paste/Dressing

Ingredients:

Garlic puree:
- 4 cloves (25g) garlic, peeled with fibrous ends cut off
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
Soy sauce paste:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (ie. kikkoman)
- 1/4 cup (60ml water)
- 2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
- 1.5 Tbsps cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps water
2 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar

Directions:

Make the garlic purée: Add the garlic with 1/2 cup of water into a high speed blender. Blend until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
Make the soy sauce paste: In a small saucepan on MED heat, add in the soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let the sauce come to a light simmer. While you’re waiting, in a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 2 Tbsps of water. When the sauce has come to a simmer, add in the cornstarch/water mixture and continuously whisk for about 1 minute or until the mixture comes to a gloopy paste. Turn off the heat and set aside to let cool.
Once the soy sauce paste has slightly cooled, add in the garlic purée (from step 1) and 2 Tbsps of sugar. Mix it all together and taste to adjust salt or sugar. Done! Keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week.

April 16, 2024April 16, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Kapow! Popcorn Shrimp (a Montana’s copycat)

Date Published: April 14th, 2024 | Last Updated: April 14th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: <30 mins, appetizers, easy, quick, snacks
Serves: 4 as an appetizer (1 large plate) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Montana’s is a restaurant chain in Canada that I used to go quite frequently with my friends in high school and undergrad years. My two favourite things to order was the apple chicken goat cheese salad (see my copy cat version here) and the “KAPOW! Shrimp” appetizer. It’s deep fried shrimp in a lightly crunchy batter with a sweet creamy sauce drizzled over top. It was always served in a skillet on a bed of lettuce and it was SO addicting, albeit a little pricey at $14 for a small portion. I never considered trying to make it myself until one day I was browsing through the cooking subreddit and someone that used to work there said that their sauce was simply sweet chilli sauce mixed with caesar dressing (specifically the Diana’s brand sweet chilli sauce and the Renées mighty cesar dressing). This blew my freaking mind. I had always imagined the sauce to be so unique and difficult, which is why I never attempted it – until now. They didn’t have a recipe for the shrimp batter but someone said frozen pre-made popcorn shrimp was good enough, but I found a decent shrimp batter on Damn Delicious and put the two together for this recipe. The results weren’t perfect, but it was very close – so close that I’ve published this recipe anyway! I suspect the difference is due to the specific brands of sauces that I used. I tried, but I couldn’t find Diana’s or Renées brand in NYC. I guess I’ll just have to pick up a couple bottles during my next trip to Canada and test it out!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Kapow Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps sweet chilli sauce (ie. Diana’s)
- 1/4 cup caesar dressing (ie. Renées mighty caesar)
Batter:
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice)
Breading:
- 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups of oil for deep frying (ie. canola, vegetable)
500g (~1 pound) raw medium-sized shrimp, peeled & deveined, pat dry
Serve with a wedge of lime

Directions:

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chilli sauce and caesar dressing. Set aside.

Make the batter: In another bowl, mix together all the batter ingredients: cornstarch, flour, sriracha, egg, and buttermilk. Set aside.

Make the breading: In a wide-based bowl, mix all the breading ingredients together: panko, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano. Set aside.

Bread the shrimp: Add the shrimp into the batter (from step 2). Working with one piece at a time, shake off excess batter and coat in the breading mixture (from step 3). Gently press the breading into the shrimp so it sticks better. Place the coated shrimp onto a tray.

Cook the shrimp: Heat the oil in a wide base pot. The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and immediately sizzle when you add a dust of flour or a drop of batter. Fry the shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes at a time or until golden brown. Remove onto a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate. Once you’ve fried all of the shrimp, turn the heat off.

Sauce it up: Once the fried shrimp have cooled a little, add in the sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately!

Summarized Recipe:

Kapow! Popcorn Shrimp (a Montana’s copycat)

Ingredients:

Kapow Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps sweet chilli sauce (ie. Diana’s)
- 1/4 cup caesar dressing (ie. Renées mighty caesar)
Batter:
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice)
Breading:
- 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups of oil for deep frying (ie. canola, vegetable)
500g (~1 pound) raw medium-sized shrimp, peeled & deveined, pat dry
Serve with a wedge of lime

Directions:

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the sweet chilli sauce and caesar dressing. Set aside.
Make the batter: In another bowl, mix together all the batter ingredients: cornstarch, flour, sriracha, egg, and buttermilk. Set aside.
Make the breading: In a wide-based bowl, mix all the breading ingredients together: panko, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano. Set aside.
Bread the shrimp: Add the shrimp into the batter (from step 2). Working with one piece at a time, shake off excess batter and coat in the breading mixture (from step 3). Gently press the breading into the shrimp so it sticks better. Place the coated shrimp onto a tray.
Cook the shrimp: Heat the oil in a wide base pot. The oil is ready when it starts to shimmer and immediately sizzle when you add a dust of flour or a drop of batter. Fry the shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes at a time or until golden brown. Remove onto a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate. Once you’ve fried all of the shrimp, turn the heat off.
Sauce it up: Once the fried shrimp have cooled a little, add in the sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately!

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Braised Bacon & Mushroom Sweet Sauerkraut

Date Published: Feb 13th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 13th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: sides, Czech, easy
Serves: 4-6 (large bowl) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

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I’m not a fan of sour foods in general (unless it’s sour patch kids 😜) so its no surprise that sauerkraut has never been something I’ve wanted to try and make…until now!

Toby likes his sauerkraut so I usually give him my portion, but during our last trip to Czech to visit his grandparents, babička made a sweet and creamy version with caraway seeds and the sourness of the sauerkraut was minimal. Needless to say, it was DELICIOUS paired with the smoked pork shoulder that she made – we nearly ate the whole pot! Before we left, she gave me verbal recipe instructions with ‘guestimated’ ingredient amounts (you’re not an OG if you measure when you cook) and when we got home to Brooklyn, I was determined to recreate it ASAP while the flavours were still fresh in my mind. Sadly, the guestimated measurements did not yield the same beautiful sweet sauerkraut she made 💔. Mine somehow came out too sour and yet too sweet at the same time lol, no idea how I achieved that. Although disappointed, I was still determined to learn how to make a sweet sauerkraut and in my search of other Czech-style sauerkrauts that might be close to babička’s, I found a sweet braised version from Cook Like Czechs that was intriguing. When I made it for the first time, it was actually – dare I say it – better than babička’s 🤐 ! The sweetness level was exactly the same but this new version had bacon in it! I made it a second time with some minor tweaks and added in some leftover mushrooms I had in the fridge and it was somehow even more AMAZING. This is now my favourite sauerkraut hands down, and I’m going to show it off – to you 😛.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

450g sauerkraut, without the liquid
350g portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 Tbsp of pork lard, or olive oil
2 large (~1.1kg) onions, diced small
130g smoked thick-cut bacon, sliced into small pieces
1 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
1.75 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
2 Tbsps (25g) all-purpose flour
Salt to taste

Directions:

Place the sauerkraut in a strainer over a bowl and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. If you prefer your sauerkraut on the more sour side, save this liquid for later (I prefer mine on the sweeter side, so I just discard this liquid). Set aside.

In a pan on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for 3-4 minutes or until cooked. Put the mushrooms into a bowl and set aside until the end.

In the same pan on MED heat, melt the pork lard and add in the onions. Sauté until the onions soften and become lightly browned (5-8 minutes).

Add in the caraway seeds, bacon, and sauerkraut. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.

Add in half cup of water (or the sauerkraut liquid from step 1 if using) then turn the heat down to LOW and cover with a lid. Let the sauerkraut braise for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, add in the sugar and flour. Mix together thoroughly then let it braise on LOW heat with the lid on for another 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, add in the cooked mushrooms from step 1 (do NOT add in any mushroom liquid that may have accumulated during this time, just the mushrooms). Stir until heated through then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust salt and sugar to your preference. It’s meant to be a sweet, smokey, and slightly sour sauerkraut with a kind of creamy texture. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Braised Bacon & Mushroom Sweet Sauerkraut

Date Published: Feb 13th, 2024 | Last Updated: Feb 13th, 2024
Author: Abby |Category: sides, Czech, easy
Serves: 4-6 (large bowl) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

450g sauerkraut, without the liquid
350g portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 Tbsp of pork lard, or olive oil
2 large (~1.1kg) onions, diced small
130g smoked thick-cut bacon, sliced into small pieces
1 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
1.75 Tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
2 Tbsps (25g) all-purpose flour
Salt to taste

Directions:

Place the sauerkraut in a strainer over a bowl and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. If you prefer your sauerkraut on the more sour side, save this liquid for later (I prefer mine on the sweeter side, so I just discard this liquid). Set aside.
In a medium pot or pan (make sure you have a lid) on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for 3-4 minutes or until cooked. Put the mushrooms into a bowl and set aside until the end.
In the same pan on MED heat, melt the pork lard and add in the onions. Sauté until the onions soften and become lightly browned (5-8 minutes).
Add in the caraway seeds, bacon, and sauerkraut. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, then add in half cup of water (or the sauerkraut liquid from step 1 if using) then turn the heat down to LOW and cover with a lid. Let the sauerkraut braise for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add in the sugar and flour. Mix together thoroughly then let it braise on LOW heat with the lid on for another 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add in the cooked mushrooms from step 1 (do NOT add in any mushroom liquid that may have accumulated during this time, just the mushrooms). Stir until heated through then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust salt and sugar to your preference. It’s meant to be a sweet, smokey, and slightly sour sauerkraut with a kind of creamy texture. Serve warm. Enjoy!

February 13, 2024February 14, 2024

Abby4 Comments